Luis Quiones, a junior welterweight, died Thursday night after being in a coma for five days. On September 24, the 25-year-old was brought to the hospital after being knocked out in his 140-pound battle against José Muoz at Coliseo Elias Chegwin in Barranquilla, Colombia.
“You went ahead of us my soul brother, now you are on the lap of your heavenly father, whom you adored and served, I love you my brother Luis Quiones, forever and ever in our hearts,” his brother Leonardo Quiones posted on Facebook.
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Quiones came into the fight undefeated (10-0). He was a promising young fighter who was well-known in the Latin American boxing community. Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed sympathy to the family.
“It hurts a lot to watch a young man full of ambitions and a bright future leave,” Petro wrote. “To the family of Santanderean fighter Luis Quiones: my heartfelt condolences for this difficult time.”
The incident occurred with less than a minute remaining in the final round. A few hours after arriving at the hospital, Quiones underwent surgery for a brain clot. He was certified brain-dead on Thursday but remained on a respirator until his death later that night.
The other unbeaten competitor, Muoz, had grown close to Quiones over the course of their respective careers and had even been his sparring partner. After being admitted to the hospital, Muoz (9-0, 7 KOs) sent him a letter. After Quiones’ passing, the Spanish letter was made public.
He remarked, “I never considered that a fantasy might become a true nightmare. “The ambition to excel in life set us both on the same route, but due to those things in life, especially the job we picked, today you are in a scenario that we never dreamed,” the speaker said.