On 17 October 2015, the lives of two talented boxers, Terrel Williams and Prichard Colon, changed forever following their boxing match, which is often referred to as one of the saddest moments in boxing history.
Terrel Williams, a former professional boxer, faced Prichard “Digget” Colon in a highly anticipated fight at Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.
Highlights
- Prichard Colon was in a coma for 221 days after suffering a brain injury during his last fight with Terrel Williams.
- Williams has said that he still receives threats constantly, but he wishes nothing but peace for Colon and his family.
- Colon petitioned for the jailing of Terrel Williams and urged officials to take action against him.
During the match, Williams reportedly delivered several illegal punches to the back of Colon’s head.
Prichard alerted the referee about the illegal blows but was reportedly advised to “handle it himself.”
The illegal strikes continued, and Colon was eventually knocked down. Although he managed to stand up, he complained of dizziness.
The ringside doctor cleared him to continue. However, his corner ultimately decided to stop the fight in the ninth round by removing his gloves.
Shortly after the match, Prichard began puking. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with brain bleeding. Subsequently, he fell into a coma for 221 days.
Prichard has made slow but steady progress in his recovery and now relies on his mother for care and uses a motorized wheelchair.
Terrel Williams Is No Longer Active In Professional Boxing
Terrel Williams was born on 16 February 1984 in Inglewood, California, USA. The 40-year-old had a notable boxing career with 19 bouts, 13 of which were won by knockout.
His only defeat came in his last fight in July 2019, where he lost by unanimous decision to Thomas Dulorme at the Rabobank Theater in Bakersfield.
Williams began his professional career in 2008 with a victory over Raymundo Ortega.
💔 Peurto Rican boxer Prichard Colón. After a 2015 bout where he was repeatedly punched illegally, he suffered a brain bleed that left him in this state. He remains in a wheel chair, undergoes daily physio and uses a communication device. pic.twitter.com/x05KX4k6J3
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) September 29, 2023
Following the tragic incident, life has been incredibly challenging for Colon, but Williams has faced his own hardships.
After the incident, the 40-year-old boxer took a two-year hiatus from boxing and came back a year after Prichard Colon woke up from his 221-day coma.
Reports indicated that Williams received an indefinite suspension from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission due to a hand injury sustained in a fight against David Grayton.
Although the suspension was officially for the injury, many people thought his illegal actions during the Prichard Colon fight also influenced the commission’s decision.
In addition, Williams is still facing a lot of anger and threats from people because of what happened in his 2015 fight with Prichard Colon.
In 2021, it was reported that Williams received serious threats and demands for punishment for his role in the fight that severely injured Colon.
Colon is still recovering slowly from the injuries he suffered in that fight. Meanwhile, many people vent their anger toward Williams.
One such place is his Facebook account. Williams hasn’t updated his Facebook page in many years, but it has become a place where angry fans have left hateful comments and threats.
Many people believe Williams should be in jail for what happened. “Why are you not in jail????” one comment reads.
Similarly, a netizen recounted the tragic moment in a Reddit discussion saying,
“It was a perfect storm, dirty fighter, bad ref and colon repeatedly turning away from the punches.”
Tarrel Williams Wishes Peace And Health To Prichard Colon
As reported by WBN in a 2018 interview, Williams said that he wishes nothing but peace and health.
“I pray for Prichard every day. That’s never going to change. I wish him nothing but peace and health.”
Tarrel William
How come Terrel Williams has never been charged for permanently disabling Prichard for life with multiple illegal punches?
by inBoxing
Terrel also added that he would never intentionally harm someone like that. However, what he said after this only worsened the situation.
“But I don’t place any blame on myself. I prayed about it. I wish the young man really well. It’s a hard situation for me and Colon’s family.”
Tarrel William
Prichard Colon and his supporters started a petition calling for Terrel Williams’s jailing. As reported by WBN, it has almost reached its latest target of 7,500 signatures.
Additional Information
- Prichard’s family sued Terrel Williams for $50 million, but that lawsuit didn’t result in anything for whatever reason.
- In a Reddit discussion, one fan said that the former boxer is a no-name boxer with no championship fights or anything, so it’s no wonder the lawsuit didn’t go anywhere.
- Williams lives a low-key life and he continues to face daily abuse over the tragic fight with Colon.
