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In the space of nine days, boxing has mourned three people who never reached 40, all with connections to the sport. Prichard Colón was 33, Hayden Panettiere was 36 and Zolani Tete was 38. Their lives could hardly have been more different, and so were the circumstances of their deaths. Colón’s extraordinary fight for life ended almost eleven years after the catastrophic brain injury that ended his boxing career. Panettiere, the mother of former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s daughter, died suddenly at an Airbnb apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina. Five days later, former two-weight world champion Tete was murdered outside his home in South Africa. Three deaths in nine days, and nobody older than 38. Prichard Colón Dies at 33 The terrible sequence began on August 13 when Colón’s family confirmed that the former undefeated Puerto Rican prospect had died at 33. Colón had spent almost eleven years fighting the consequences of the catastrophic brain injury he suffered following his October 2015 contest against Terrel Williams in Virginia. What followed changed his life and those of everyone around him. Colón suffered dizziness and vomiting after returning to his dressing room before being taken to hospital. Doctors discovered bleeding on his brain and performed emergency surgery. He remained in a coma for 221 days. For almost eleven years after his injury, Colón’s family continued fighting alongside him as his story became a symbol of hope to thousands of people around the world. He never became the world champion he dreamed of being, but he fought a considerably greater battle for almost eleven years before his death. Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36 Three days later, another young life with ties to boxing was lost. Hayden Panettiere, the actress and mother of former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s daughter, died on August 16 at the age of 36. Emergency services responded following a report of an unresponsive woman. Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said preliminary findings did not indicate foul play, while no official cause of death had been announced. Panettiere became a familiar figure to boxing fans during her long relationship with Klitschko, which began in 2009 while the Ukrainian was dominating the heavyweight division. The couple became engaged in 2013 before their daughter, Kaya, was born in December 2014. They eventually separated in 2018, with Kaya living primarily with her father while Panettiere dealt with personal struggles. Her death came just three years after Panettiere lost her younger brother Jansen at only 28. Kaya has now lost her mother at just 11 years old. Zolani Tete Murdered at 38 Five days after Panettiere’s death, another tragedy struck under completely different circumstances. Former two-weight world champion Zolani Tete was shot dead outside his home in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, on August 21. According to South African police, Tete had arrived home and was waiting for his gate to open when two armed men wearing balaclavas emerged from a vehicle and opened fire. A 27-year-old woman who was in Tete’s car was also shot multiple times and taken to hospital. Tete attempted to escape the gunfire by driving into his yard but died at the scene. Police opened murder and attempted murder investigations, with no arrests made and the motive for the attack unknown at the time of publication. The timing added another cruel element to his death. Tete had not competed since facing Jason Cunningham at Wembley Arena in July 2022. His knockout victory was subsequently overturned to a no contest following an adverse finding for stanozolol, resulting in a four-year suspension. That suspension expired on July 29. Tete had returned to training and was preparing to compete again. Nine Tragic Days for Boxing There is no connection between how Colón, Panettiere and Tete died. What connects them is an awful sequence of loss. They lived completely different lives and died under completely different circumstances, but within nine days all three were gone. Prichard Colón was 33. Hayden Panettiere was 36. Zolani Tete was 38. Not one of them reached 40. About the Author Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.