Gritty British Champ Jimmy Batten, Who Went 10 Rounds with Roberto Duran, Dies at 70
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
London, UK (September 21st, 2026)– Gritty former British Super Welterweight champion Jimmy Batten, who survived three broken ribs to take Roberto Duran on a brilliant but losing 10-round trip to hell at the Orange Bowl in Miami in November 1982, has died at age 70 after spending the better part of a decade suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Born in Millwall, London in 1955, Batten started boxing at age six, and had a successful amateur career, winning three national schoolboy titles, two junior ABA amateur titles and an NABC championship, going unbeaten for five and a half years.
A member of the Terry Lawless London gym, Batten compiled a professional career record of 40-9 with 20 knockouts between 1974 and 1983. In later life, Batten insisted he would not change a thing. “I loved every minute of it. I’m just sad I can’t do it (box) anymore.”
Batten turned pro in 1974, training under Terry Lawless at the Royal Oak gym in Canning Town, and won 16 of his first 18 fights, which included a victory over former British title challenger Kevin White, leading to his facing Albert Hillman at the Royal Albert Hall in 1977 for the British light middleweight title vacated by Maurice Hope. Hillman retired in the seventh round, making Batten, at age 21, the third man to hold the regional title.
In his final bout, Batten faced Prince Rodney in October 1983 for the regional British light middleweight title vacated by Herol Graham. Rodney stopped him in the sixth round. Batten subsequently had to retire from boxing after tests indicated he had brain damage.
To deal with his brain damage, he had speech therapy at a drama school, and went on to work as an actor, having several small roles in the 1980s and 1990s, appearing in television series such as The Bill and the Detectives, and films such as Tank Malling (1989), The Krays (1990), Riff-Raff (1991) and Ladybird, Ladybird (1994). Batten also worked as a stand-up comedian, a doorman, a boxing trainer, and later made a career as a karaoke host and singer.
Former World Welterweight champion John Stracey stated on social media “So sad to hear about my dear friend Jimmy Batten passing away. My great stablemate and sparring partner of many, many years… God bless you, my friend.”
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