Prichard Colon’s death has brought the painful 2015 boxing fight back into sharp public focus, and Terrel Williams is again facing anger online. Colon died on August 13, 2026, at 33, almost 11 years after suffering a severe brain injury in his bout with Williams. After the news spread, users began leaving abusive comments on an Instagram account they believe belongs to Williams, although the account itself is not verified.
Terrel Williams faces online hate after Prichard Colon’s death
Colon and Williams fought on October 17, 2015, in Fairfax, Virginia. The fight became controversial after Williams landed illegal punches behind Colon’s head. The Washington Post reported that Colon complained about the blows and was examined by ringside doctor Richard Ashby after a seventh-round incident. He continued fighting.The fight ended after nine rounds when Colon’s corner mistakenly began removing his gloves, thinking the bout was over. He was disqualified. Soon after reaching his dressing room, Colon became dizzy, vomited and collapsed. He needed emergency surgery for bleeding in his brain.Colon spent 221 days in a coma and later remained in a vegetative state, needing care for the rest of his life. His father, Richard Colon, announced his death on August 13. The cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, according to People.Williams was investigated by Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. The investigation did not find one action serious enough to blame a single person.Williams was not named as a defendant in the $50 million lawsuit filed by Colon’s parents in 2017. The case targeted ringside doctor Richard Ashby and the fight promoters, according to ESPN and The Washington Post.The Washington Post reported in 2019 that Williams had shut down his social media accounts after facing backlash over the fight.In 2019, Williams told The Washington Post he wanted to speak with Colon’s parents, but believed they would not want contact with him.Following Colon’s death, users searched for him again and posted hateful comments under an Instagram account allegedly linked to him.There is no verified public Instagram account confirming that the profile belongs to Williams, so those comments do not prove he runs the page.
What did Terrel Williams say about Prichard Colon?
Williams has spoken about Colon’s condition and the emotional effect of the fight, but has not formally apologized or accepted blame. In a 2018 interview with The Ring, he said he prayed for Colon every day and did not want what happened to him.“I pray for Prichard every day. That’s never going to change. I wish him nothing but peace and health,” Williams said, according to The Ring.Williams said he never intended to seriously hurt Colon and that the night changed his life. He returned to boxing after taking about two years away from the sport and later fought Thomas Dulorme in 2019, his final professional bout.Colon’s death has put the fight back in the spotlight. Still, the facts remain: the Virginia investigation did not assign blame to him, and the family’s civil lawsuit did not name him as a defendant.
