Terrel Williams was refused sparring after Prichard Colón tragedy

Terrel Williams was refused a sparring session at a gym after his 2015 fight with Prichard Colón, Arnold Barboza has recalled. Barboza said his father rejected a request for him to share the ring with Williams because of the injuries Colón suffered in the bout.

The fight took place on October 17, 2015, and left Colón with catastrophic brain injuries. Williams was deducted a point in the seventh round for striking behind the head, while repeated illegal punches became a defining part of the public discussion around the contest.

Barboza said the refusal happened when he and his father encountered Williams at a gym where Williams had come to spar. He later revisited the incident while discussing Colón’s death with MMA fighter Bobby Green. The memory showed that the backlash had reached boxing gyms, not just online supporters and commentators.

Colón died aged 33 on August 13, almost eleven years after the fight. He lived with severe disabilities and needed constant care from his family, including his mother, Nieves. His long recovery made him a symbol of hope for many in boxing, and his death renewed scrutiny of the bout and the actions that surrounded it.

Williams continued boxing for four more years after the Colón fight. His career eventually stalled after a 2019 defeat by Thomas Dulorme, and he has since largely remained outside the public eye. Referee Joe Cooper also saw his regular professional assignments fall sharply after the contest.

Williams faced sustained hostility over the fight, including abuse and threats directed at him and his family through a dormant Facebook page. The posts disappeared in May after years of hostile comments. Williams expressed concern for Colón immediately after the bout and has maintained that he did not deliberately cause the injuries, but that position did not alter the anger directed at him by many of Colón’s supporters.