Prichard Colón has died at just 33 years old, more than a decade after the devastating brain injury that changed his life forever.

There are some stories in combat sports that are difficult to write about.

This is one of them.

Prichard “Digget” Colón was once one of boxing’s most promising young fighters. Fast, talented, powerful and seemingly destined for bigger nights, Colón entered the professional ranks with dreams familiar to fighters everywhere: become a champion, provide for his family and find out just how far his talent could take him.

Instead, one night in October 2015 changed everything.

Now, nearly 11 years later, the combat sports world is mourning his death at only 33.

Remembering the Fighter Prichard Colón Was

For many younger combat sports fans, the name Prichard Colón is unfortunately associated first with tragedy.

But that should not be the only way he is remembered.

Before his life-changing injury, Colón was a seriously talented fighter.

Born in Florida and raised in Puerto Rico, he developed into an accomplished amateur before turning professional in 2012.

He quickly began building an impressive record.

Colón won the first 16 fights of his professional career, with 13 of those victories coming by knockout.

He was supposed to have championship fights.

He was supposed to grow older alongside the rest of us.

The Night Everything Changed

On October 17, 2015, Colón fought Terrel Williams in Fairfax, Virginia.

It would become one of the darkest nights in modern boxing.

During the contest, Colón was struck repeatedly around the back of the head. He complained about the blows during the fight, but the contest continued.

After the bout, his condition deteriorated dramatically.

Colón was rushed to hospital, where doctors discovered bleeding on his brain. He underwent emergency surgery and subsequently spent 221 days in a coma.

He was only 23 years old.

The young boxer who had entered the ring chasing his dream would never fight again.

For the next decade, Colón required extensive care as his family remained beside him.

More Than a Boxing Story

MMA-Blog.com is primarily an MMA website.

But Prichard Colón's story belongs to the entire combat sports community.

Boxing, MMA, kickboxing and every other full-contact fighting sport share an uncomfortable reality: the athletes we celebrate are putting their bodies — and sometimes their futures — at risk when they compete.

There will always be danger.

That is part of combat sports.

But unnecessary danger should never simply be accepted as part of the game.

Rules concerning strikes to the back of the head exist for a reason. Medical suspensions exist for a reason. Referees exist for a reason. Doctors at ringside exist for a reason.

Fighter safety must never become secondary to entertainment.

His Family Fought With Him

There is another part of Prichard Colón's story that deserves enormous recognition.

His family.

The fight in 2015 lasted only a matter of rounds.

Their fight lasted more than a decade.

Through hospital stays, rehabilitation, difficult days and years of caring for Prichard, his family remained beside him.

His mother, Nieves, became an especially visible part of his journey, sharing moments from his life and allowing supporters around the world to continue following the young fighter they had refused to forget.

Behind every update was a family living with the consequences of what happened that night.

They deserve the respect of the entire combat sports community.

Don't Remember Prichard Only for What Happened to Him

When people search for Prichard Colón, they will inevitably find the footage.

They will read about the punches. They will read about the brain injury. They will see photographs from the hospital and videos documenting his condition.

But before all of that, there was a young man with gloves on his hands and enormous ambitions.

There was an undefeated prospect.

There was a Puerto Rican fighter proudly representing his people.

There was a son.

There was a dream.

A Legacy Combat Sports Must Not Forget

Combat sports move quickly.

There is another fight every weekend. Another prospect. Another knockout. Another controversy. Another championship.

But occasionally, something happens that should force everyone involved in these sports to remember what is truly at stake.

Prichard Colón's story is one of those moments.

Every referee protecting a hurt fighter matters. Every doctor making the difficult decision to stop a contest matters. Every warning about an illegal strike matters. Every cornerman willing to protect their fighter from themselves matters.

Because fighters will almost always want to continue.

That courage is part of what makes us admire them.

It is therefore the responsibility of everyone around them to make sure their courage doesn't cost them more than it should.

Rest in Peace, Prichard

Prichard Colón should have been able to discover how good he could become.

He should have been able to finish his career on his own terms.

Most importantly, he should have had the opportunity to live the life waiting for him outside the ring.

He didn't get that opportunity.

But for more than a decade after his final fight, people around the world continued to say his name, follow his journey, pray for him and support his family.

That tells you something about the impact he made.

Today, the belts don't matter.

The record doesn't matter.

The knockouts don't matter.

A family has lost their son.

And combat sports has lost a fighter whose story it must never forget.