The bleed that started there had nowhere to go

Prichard Colon’s death at 33 has reignited conversations about the catastrophic brain injury that ended the former undefeated prospect’s boxing career in 2015.

Colon died on Aug. 13, 2026, nearly 11 years after suffering a severe brain injury during his bout against Terrel Williams in Fairfax, Virginia. The Puerto Rican boxer entered the contest with a 16-0 record but was repeatedly struck by illegal blows to the back of the head.

Colon complained to the referee during the fight, but the contest continued. Jason R. Williams, an interventional oncologist and board-certified radiologist, explained the medical consequences of those blows in an X post following Colon’s death:

“Prichard Colon was 23 and undefeated when he fought Terrel Williams in 2015. He kept telling the referee about the blows landing on the back of his head. The referee took one point. The fight went on. Those punches land where the spine meets the brainstem, and the skull barely covers that spot. The bleed that started there had nowhere to go. Trapped blood builds pressure. Pressure kills brain tissue. Brain tissue does not come back. Surgeons saved his life that night, but no treatment in medicine could return what the bleed took.”

He added:

“He spent 221 days in a coma and the next decade unable to walk or speak, while his parents cared for him around the clock. Prichard did what a fighter is supposed to do. He reported the fouls to the one person who could stop them. It didn’t save him. That part has never left me. Boxing learned from him. In 2016 the WBC put a zero tolerance rule on those punches and named it after him. Fighters are safer today because of what he lost. Once brain damage runs this deep, we cannot treat our way out of it. Prevention is the only cure. Rest in peace, Prichard. Praying for his family.”

Check out the X post below:

Legendary boxing trainer reflects on Prichard Colon’s death and boxing safety concerns

Legendary boxing trainer Robert Garcia recently reflected on Prichard Colon’s death and called it a tragic reminder of the dangers fighters can face in the ring.

Garcia spoke about the uncertainty surrounding whether Colon’s death was directly connected to the injuries he suffered years earlier. However, he mentioned that those complications from the tragic incident could have played a role.

In a recent interview with ES News, he said:

“The fight was five years ago, maybe he had some complications, I don’t know, but it’s tough. It’s tough. He was a promising fighter. But this happened years later, so can it be the same effect on the person? I don’t know, it’s tough. It’s tough.”

Edited by Abhishek Nambiar