Boxer Dies 11 Years After Devastating Brain Injury

Prichard Colon, the once-undefeated boxer whose career ended with a catastrophic brain injury in 2015, has died at 33, his father announced on Facebook. "Good morning my people. I regret to inform you of the passing of my son Prichard from this earthly world, NOW HE IS in a better world," Richard Colon wrote Thursday. His son had collapsed in the locker room after a 2015 bout against Terrell Williams in Virginia, during which he repeatedly complained about strikes to the back of his head that were deemed illegal, reports the BBC. He was later found to have a brain bleed, spent 221 days in a coma, and remained in a vegetative state, requiring round-the-clock care.

The Puerto Rico-raised fighter entered that match 16-0 with 13 knockouts and had been viewed as a rising star, with national amateur titles and a 2010 Pan American youth gold. A lawsuit filed by his parents seeking more than $50 million from the ringside doctor, who Colon had told he felt dizzy, and promoters is still unresolved, notes the Athletic. "A true warrior in every sense of the word, Prichard left us with profound lessons about life, resilience, and our sport," the World Boxing Association said in a statement.