RIP. Heartbreaking loss. Former British champion Jimmy Batten passes away at 70

British boxing has lost one of its most courageous and revered champions of the golden era.

Details: Former British welterweight champion Jimmy Batten has passed away at the age of 70. The distinguished London-born fighter, whose bravery and relentless technical grit defined domestic prizefighting throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, breathed his last, leaving behind an enduring legacy across the sport.

Batten captured the prestigious British welterweight crown in 1977, successfully winning the coveted Lonsdale Belt outright. He became a household name for his exceptional engine, razor-sharp jab, and refusal to yield under pressure.

The defining pinnacle of his international profile arrived in September 1982 in Miami, when Batten shared the squared circle with the legendary four-weight world champion Roberto Durán. In a display of monumental warrior spirit, the Briton took every thunderous punch from "Hands of Stone" and lasted the full ten rounds, going the entire distance in a celebrated battle.

It is worth noting that throughout his professional boxing career spanning from 1974 to 1983, Jimmy Batten compiled an impressive record of 40 victories in 49 bouts, claiming 16 wins by knockout.

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