Former British light-middleweight champion Jimmy Batten has passed away at the age of 70 following a struggle with brain damage and Parkinson's disease.
Batten made a name for himself in the 1970s and 1980s as one of the prominent figures in British boxing, having started in the sport at six years old.
He was part of trainer Terry Lawless's famous London gym, a leading training facility of the era that also produced world champions John H Stracey, Maurice Hope and Charlie Magri.
Batten's most famous ring appearance came in 1982 when he faced former multi-division world champion Roberto Duran. Six months earlier, Batten had been stopped in the first round by Mario Maldonado, leading many observers to expect an early defeat against Duran.
However, Batten produced a gutsy performance to go the distance with the Panamanian legend, taking the fight all the way before losing on a unanimous decision.
Tributes from boxing stablemates and fans
Tributes have flooded in across social media following news of his death. Former world welterweight champion John H Stracey expressed his grief over the loss of his long-time gym partner.
Stracey wrote: "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."
Boxing fans also shared their sadness online, with one writing: "More sad news. RIP Jimmy Batten. I knew he hadn't been well for a while but such terrible news, aged just 70. A GENUINE British boxing legend." Another fan added: "Rest well Jimmy."
Career end and life after the ring
Batten competed in his final professional bout in 1983, when he was beaten by Prince Rodney. He retired with a professional record of 40 wins and nine defeats.
Following his retirement from boxing, Batten took up acting, worked as a comedian, and spent a brief period working as a boxing trainer. He also worked as a doorman, which resulted in a prison sentence after an altercation involving three customers.
In the years after leaving the sport, Batten battled brain damage caused by his boxing career and attended speech therapy to cope with the physical effects, alongside his battle with Parkinson's disease.
Reflecting on his career in an interview with BoxingScene, Batten said: "Why would I change anything? I loved every minute of it. I'm just sad that I can't do it anymore."
He added: "There's not many people who can say they were British champion and went the distance with Duran, is there?"
