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Brad Rone (1968-July 18, 2003) was a journeyman
Boxing|boxer from Cincinnati, Ohio. Rone was not
an accomplished boxer: He lost 26 professional
bouts in a row before dying. A journeyman in
boxing is a title given by writers and fans to
someone who is hired, often on short notice, to
fight against up and coming prospects or
championship contenders. Very often, these
journeymen have negative win-loss records. 

Rone died after a fight with Billy Zumbrun, a
boxer who had beaten Rone before, and who,
ironically, had become friends with Rone after
their first fight. Rone had been banned from
fighting in Nevada for three years. Although he
lived in Las Vegas, commissioner Marc Ratner,
considered one of the most serious and respected
figures in boxing, felt Rone was in risk of
getting injured every time he boxed, so he denied
the Ohio native a license in 2000. Rone then took
to the road to find fights, going as far as
Germany and Denmark. Despite being banned from
Nevada, he fought several times in California, as
well as in Idaho and Texas. His fights with
Zumbrun were in Utah. Usually, when a boxer is
banned from fighting in one state of the United
States, the suspension carries over to the other
states, but in Rone's case, he still managed to
get fights on U.S. soil.

On July 17, Rone's mother died of a heart attack.
Seemingly out of money to fly to Ohio, Rone was
offered to fight with Zumbrun in Utah the
following day, for a fee of 800 US
dollars|dollars. He accepted, and drove to Utah
for the fight.

Rone was hit by a Zumbrun jab just before the bell
to end the first round. He turned around to walk
to his corner when he collapsed, dying instantly.
A ringside doctor tried to revive him using
cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but his efforts
were in vain. An autopsy later revealed Rone had
died of a heart attack instead of as a consequence
of the punch inflicted by Zumbrun.

Various theories have been formed after his death:
Rone was a large, 260 pound (118 kg) man who might
have inherited a heart condition from his mother.
He was distraught by her death and might have been
under pressure and distress before the fight.
Since he had a losing streak of 26 bouts in a row,
the theory that he might have taken too much
punishment inside a ring is also credible.

Former commissioner Ratner himself said that he
would not have allowed Rone to fight. Moreover,
Arizona senator John McCain expressed his feeling
that Rone's death showed that a unified national
boxing commission was needed, one which would
verify boxers' records and whether they are banned
from one state or not. Rone's opponent, Zumbrun,
told friends that Rone lacked his usual strength.

Rone and his mother were buried next to each
other, in matching cream color coffins.