By Keith Idec

The family of brain-damaged boxer Prichard Colon filed a $50 million lawsuit Wednesday against a ringside physician and the co-promoters of the card on which he was injured a year-and-a-half ago in Fairfax, Virginia.

According to a story posted on ESPN.com, the suit was filed in the District of Columbia on Wednesday against Dr. Richard Ashby and co-promoters HeadBangers Boxing and DiBella Entertainment to help pay for the extremely expensive care Colon requires. Ashby was the ringside physician assigned to the October 17, 2015, bout by the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, which supervises boxing in that state.

An investigation conducted by the aforementioned Virginia agency absolved Ashby and referee Joseph Cooper of any wrongdoing during Colon’s disqualification defeat to Terrel Williams. Colon was disqualified because his corner men removed his gloves following the ninth round, in which Williams knocked down Colon twice.

Colon complained to Cooper throughout the fight about Williams repeatedly hitting him behind the head. He also told Ashby during the seventh round that he was dizzy.

Cooper deducted a point from Williams for rabbit punches, but the fight was allowed to continue.

Colon collapsed in his dressing room and was rushed to a nearby hospital. He underwent emergency brain surgery, during which a subdural hematoma was removed and pressure on his skull was relieved.

The Colons contend in their lawsuit that Ashby committed medical malpractice because he failed to act when Colon told him during the fight that his head hurt.

Eighteen months later, the 24-year-old Colon remains in a vegetative state and requires round-the-clock care from his mother, Nieves, and his father, Richard, at their home in Winter Park, Florida. Colon can breathe on his own, but otherwise is unresponsive and bed-ridden.

Colon, who was a decorated amateur boxer in Puerto Rico, was an unbeaten welterweight/junior middleweight prospect (16-0, 13 KOs) before his ill-fated fight against Williams.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.