Following the death of Prichard Colón on August 13 at age 33 — nearly 11 years after his fateful bout with Terrel Williams — well-known contender Arnold Barboza Jr. reflected on the immediate aftermath inside the boxing community. Speaking with MMA fighter King Green on Kick, Barboza shared how his family reacted upon encountering Williams at a gym shortly after the 2015 tragedy.
-
Refusing to Spar: Barboza recalled being asked to spar Williams, but his father immediately shut it down: “No. I ain’t going to spar this dude.”
-
Dangerous Rabbit Punches: Barboza highlighted the illegal strikes that led to Colón’s brain injuries: “Back-of-the-head shots are dangerous. He was hitting him in the back of the head the whole fight, and the referee didn’t stop it.”
-
Ostracized in Boxing: While Williams faced intense public backlash and threats for years, Barboza’s story proves that the boxing world itself distanced from him early on. Williams’ career fizzled out after a 2019 loss, leaving him virtually isolated from the sport.
