When did Prichard Colón get hurt? How one fight changed the pro boxer's entire life

Prichard Colón is a former boxer who once took the Puerto Rican, Dominican Republican and American regional scenes by storm. He amassed a spotless record of 16 wins and zero losses, with 13 of his wins coming by way of knockout. Unfortunately, his career came to a tragic halt when he faced his 17th foe.

On October 17, 2015, Colón locked horns with Terrel Williams, another unbeaten boxer on the rise, with an identical 16-0 record. Their bout, initially an unassuming contest, took place in the undercard of the Lamont Peterson vs. Félix Díaz event.

Their matchup was made under suboptimal circumstances, with the two men replacing Andre Dirrell and Blake Caparello, after Dirrell withdrew from the bout for medical reasons. Worse still, the fight was scheduled just a month after Prichard Colón's win over Vivian Harris.

Nevertheless, the Puerto Rican prospect took on the challenge and stepped into the ring with Williams. Their bout lasted for nine rounds and ended in tragedy. Despite coming in under unfavorable circumstances, Colón was in control for the first five rounds. Unfortunately, he was also the recipient of several rabbit punches.

In boxing, rabbit punches refer to illegal blows to the back of the opponent's head. Despite referee Joe Cooper being informed of Terrel Williams' transgressions, he refused to intervene.

Thus, Prichard Colón responded with a foul of his own, hitting Terrel Williams in the groin, which led to two points being deducted.

In round nine, he suffered a knockdown after more blows to the back of the head, by then growing dizzy. After the round ended, he was disqualified after his corner mistakenly removed his gloves, as they were under the impression that the fight had ended. Unknowingly, they might have saved him from a worse fate.

After the fight, Prichard Colón was said to be incoherent and required assistance heading backstage, before vomiting and collapsing. He was immediately transported to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma, a severe brain injury. However, the damage had already been done when he underwent surgery.

He slipped into a coma for nearly a year, awakening after 221 days. Despite facing complications and even been in a persistent vegetative state, Colón's rehabilitation has led to improvements. He is now conscious and has learned to communicate using a computer, but can neither speak nor walk.

While his speech hasn't returned, he was recently seen smiling in a birthday video posted by his mother. His condition is, in effect, similar to Chris Lencionic's, a former MMA fighter who once fought for Bellator, before brain damage from a cardiac arrest left him largely impaired, highlighting the danger of combat sports.