Former Puerto Rican boxer, Prichard Colón has died at the age of 33. He passed away on Thursday, nearly 11 years after suffering a severe brain injury that left him in a persistent vegetative state.

His father and former coach, Richard Colón, announced the death in a Facebook post. He thanked the public for years of love and prayers and said he had done everything possible to fulfil his son’s wish of returning to Puerto Rico.

Colón was once regarded as one of boxing’s brightest prospects, holding a 16-0 professional record with 13 knockouts. His career was cut short in October 2015 during a junior middleweight bout against American boxer, Terrel Williams in Fairfax, Virginia.

He sustained repeated blows to the back of the head and was knocked down twice in the ninth round before his corner stopped the fight. Doctors later diagnosed a subdural hematoma that required emergency surgery. Colón spent 221 days in a coma and never regained the ability to walk or talk.

The injury prompted lasting changes in the sport. In 2016, the World Boxing Council introduced the “Prichard Colón Rule,” enforcing zero tolerance for blows to the back of the head. Colón’s parents also filed a lawsuit against the ringside doctor and promoters connected to the fight.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper