Former boxer Prichard Colon has died aged 33, more than a decade after sustaining a severe brain injury during a 2015 bout that left him in a coma and later a vegetative state. His death renews attention on boxing safety, officiating and the long-term consequences of injuries sustained in the ring.

Colon’s father, Richard, announced the news on Facebook, saying his son had “passed from this earthly world”. Colon was injured in a fight against Terrel Williams, during which Williams was accused of repeatedly landing illegal blows to the back of Colon’s head; Colon was later taken to hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery.