Brad Rone
Encyclopedia
Brad Rone was a "journeyman" 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. The word journeyman is a respectable term of respect for a fighter who has formidable skills, but lack the true greatness of a contender (by contrast, Tomato Can is a term referring to a fighter who is lower than that of a journeyman, and is not a term of respect).
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 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.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. 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. The word journeyman is a respectable term of respect for a fighter who has formidable skills, but lack the true greatness of a contender (by contrast, Tomato Can is a term referring to a fighter who is lower than that of a journeyman, and is not a term of respect).
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
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
for three years. Although he lived in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, commissioner Marc Ratner
Marc Ratner
Marc Ratner is the current Vice President of Regulatory Affairs with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Formerly, he was the Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission....
, 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
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
native a license in 2000. Rone then took to the road to find fights, going as far as Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
Despite being banned from Nevada, he fought several times in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, as well as in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. His fights with Zumbrun were in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Usually, when a boxer is banned from fighting in one state of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 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 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
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
, 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
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
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.