Prichard “Digget” Colon – Boxing Star on the Rise

Prichard “Digget” Colon (15-0-0, 12 KOs) from Orocovis, Puerto Rico just fought Michael Finney (12-3-1) on 8-1-2015 on the ESPN undercard of Danny Garcia vs. Paulie Malignaggi at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY and won by TKO round 2 of 6. He’s been on my watch list since his amateur days and in fact I have been following his career ever since.   He is a very determined athlete, 5x national amateur champ, who is looking to stand out in his pro career as he did as an amateur. I had the pleasure to ask Colon some questions about what else… well boxing.

Pattee Mak: FINALLY we get to chat. Let me start out by saying congrats on winning your last fight. During air time, Teddy Atlas from ESPN was saying Finney, [your opponent] has been thrown in tough and has lost to some good fighters and was also saying that you haven’t been tested as of yet. Then comes round 2, you kept coming forward with right hands landing then dropping Finney to the canvas. Referee Shada Murdaugh had enough and stopped the bout at 1:23 giving you the TKO victory.   Thoughts on what Atlas was saying?

Colon: We all know that Finney was battled tested. He has a lot of experience in the amateurs and the pros. I fought him in the amateurs and won. I believe in Georgia in the silver glove regionals. We know he is a tough kid. A tough opponent. As far as Atlas, a little bit easier, it’s his opinion and I respect that but I also think with my win TKO, 2^nd round I’m ready for this level and a fighter to be reckoned with.

Pattee Mak: During both rounds did you stick to the game plan during that fight?

Colon: Yes. The game plan was in the 1^st round to have Finney come out and whatever he was gonna do I was to apply pressure. We just boxed and moved around. I was told in round 2 to step it up a bit. Right to the body and then I changed it up. He didn’t’ see the blow and that is what hurt him.

Pattee Mak: Fighters with great records seem to have difficulty with finding opponents for fights. Has this happened to you?

Colon: Early in my career it was a bit tougher cause of my amateur period. I was doing everything on my own with my father, no manager nor promotional team. A lot of fighters didn’t want to fight me or they ask me for a lot of money. I ended up signing with Al Haymon. It hasn’t been a problem at all and I’m lucky to be in good hands and lucky to keep fighting.

Pattee Mak: So I heard you’ll be going to Canada? Talk to me about this.

Colon: It’s look like I’ll hopefully be fighting next month on the 11^th but waiting on the details and the contract. I’ll keep you posted.

Pattee Mak: Yes definitely do. I still need to watch you fight in person.

Pattee Mak: As you get deeper and deeper into your boxing career you’ll be fighting tougher opponents. If it was up to you whom would you eventually like to fight?

Colon: Everyone wants to fight the champion sometime but I don’t have anyone in particular. I’m a young fighter and I want to stay busy and gain enough of experience. Down the road fight for the world title. I’ll have the experience I need. Stay active and stay sharp and step it up.

Pattee Mak:  Was Finney your toughest opponent thus far?

Colon: I never overestimate any fighter. As I keep continuing in my career they’ll get harder and harder. Each fight will get tougher. I trained hard for this fight. 2 rounds in. My biggest fight thus far? He was supposed to be my biggest fight but I had tougher fights before.

Pattee Mak: I know that your father, Richard Colon has trained you in the past.   Has he always been your trainer and were there ever any difficult moments in or outside the ring where the two of you have disagreements?

Colon: My father, he introduced me to the sport. He was there for my entire career as an amateur. The only time during my amateur career that I didn’t train with him was when I was on the national team and the Olympic boarding school. My last couple of years I was away from him but he would also come by and watch me.

Pattee Mak: Pedro Diaz who at one point trained Cotto is training you now. What are the differences in training?

Colon: Diaz brings experience and other different knowledge of boxing. The experience he has in the pros especially with Cotto. He has more than my father and I. My father is very very involved in my training. I did most of my camp with my father because Diaz had to leave 4 5 weeks to go to Germany so I was mostly training with just with my father.

Pattee Mak: Now a lot of people don’t know this about you, but before your fight there is a special meal that is prepared for you. Tell me about this?

Colon: For my 10^th and 11^th fights I had chicken soup after the weigh in. This is what Tito [Trinidad] ate before any of his fights in the pros. It’s something in Puerto Rico that they do.   Tito handed picked the chicken and his mom and sister cooked it. She cooks awesome. It’s something special.

Pattee Mak: You were also on the National Team for 4 years. How did you get picked for this?

Colon: When I lived in Florida I was doing pretty well. I was ranked 5^th in the nation. I either wanted to try out for the cadet team in the states or in Puerto Rico. So I decided I wanted to try out in Puerto Rico. My dad thought about it and at 14 and said if you really want to do this, I’m down with you and that’s what I wanted. I flown down there and went to Olympic boarding school. They selected me and within a year I made the cadet team. I was on the national team and made the cadet and youth team. I was the first one on the youth team to make the adult team and then I turned pro. I retired from the amateurs at 19. I didn’t want anything more with the amateurs. I turned pro at 20.

Pattee Mak: What made you get into boxing and at what age?

Colon: I have been boxing as far as I remember. My older brother was also training. When I was 5 or 6 years old, I was already going to the gym. I was hitting the bag. When I was 7 I started training full time with my father. I trained in all sports, basketball, soccer, volleyball. You name it, I played every sport but I stuck with boxing. I was very competitive. I always give my 100%. I stuck with boxing. If I win, I win. If I lose, I loose. It’s all on me. I’m doing well. And fortunately I did it all my life.

Pattee Mak: Tell me about the project that has been on your mind since 2007.

Colon: In Puerto Rico every Mayor and every city has a gym. All run by the City. We were trying to do the same thing for our city for years and years but the Mayor in our city was not a sports guy. His dad was Mayor also for many years. Never did anything. They never gave us a hand to open a gym. They gave us a small room. It was all talk. I moved my training camp to Florida. I had too because one bag wasn’t enough and not too much sparring. There isn’t much in my hometown so I had to move on.   The kids out there really, really want to work out and want to train and box and get off of the streets. In my city there isn’t nothing big in sports. When they see me it’s like wow, I’m really big out there. Without the help from the city it was too hard. Hopefully one day I can go back.

Pattee Mak: Tell me more about how the people in Puerto Rico see you?

Colon:   In boxing I was always on the national team but after this last fight the kids, everyone saw me on TV and how I stopped the kid in the 2^nd round. It’s been big in Puerto Rico. The love I received after this fight is very different than the fights before. I always had respect. General people in Puerto Rico actually see me having a lot of motivation.

Pattee Mak: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. What would you like to say to all your fans out there in Spanish?

Colon: Gracias a todas esas gente que me apoyan, a la comunidad Latina quien les dedique mi mas reciente combate en especial a mi pais Puerto Rico. Son ustedes quienes me llenan de motivacion y animos para seguir luchando cada dia, un abrazo fuerte para todos.

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