In Sickness and in Health: Warned he could suffer from brain damage before facing Roberto Duran in 1982, Jimmy Batten says he has no regrets

By Mike Lockley

IN HIS dotage, Jimmy Batten, former British light-middleweight champ who confronted Roberto Duran, talks with the gradual, deadpan assertiveness of a veteran onerous man. He possesses the deliberate, no-nonsense tones of the grey-haired London faces portrayed in Guy Ritchie movies comparable to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.

To an extent, that ruggedness handed me by as a employees author for Boxing News some 45 years in the past. Here, it stirred and simmered slowly and intentionally.

Back then, the Millwall champ was one thing of a pin-up puncher, his image even adorning the entrance cowl of a teen pop journal. “Thinking about that upset me, really,” Batten mentioned, his eyes educated on mine, “because I can’t do it anymore.”

Today, Jimmy is battling Parkinson’s illness, identified three years in the past, and, he says matter-of-factly, a results of his 49-fight profession spent in the course of the days of 15-round title fights.

Alarmingly, he insists he was warned of brain damage before being outpointed by Duran in Miami in 1982. He would go on to have six extra contests. “I have my health problems,” he shrugged.

Batten, aged 68, is not going to be prised open by reward. Batten, his eyes mounted on me all through the interview, has earned the correct to say it as it’s – matter-of-fact sentences delivered with out the cushion of belly-laughs.

“I got married too young,” he provided as a gap shot. “A lot of children early, a mortgage, I hadn’t grown up.” Wed at 20, he and his spouse would divorce a long time later.

A shock Sunday name from the Millwall idol, now residing in Kent, introduced the recollections flooding again. Jimmy, a member of Terry Lawless’ all-conquering Canning Town fitness center that additionally boasted Maurice Hope, Charlie Magri, Kirkland Laing, Mark Kaylor and Jim Watt strutted his stuff throughout my years at BN. He possessed the trademark Royal Oak fitness center traits; tight guard, stiff jab, educated stress and excellent conditioning.

On reflection, there was all the time one thing of an edge to Jimmy. After he outpointed George Walker at York Hall, Bethnal Green, in 1980, the then ex British champ rounded on me in the dressing room and growled over the commerce paper’s protection of his bouts.

As I trudged away, one well-known East End battle determine pulled me to at least one aspect and suggested: “Next time he does that, hit him to the body, Mike.”

Batten has lived a life – and then some. The former excellent beginner – he was unbeaten for an unimaginable 5 and a half years – gained outright possession of a Lonsdale Belt, famously halting Wolverhampton’s former champ Larry Paul in what appeared, on paper, a really harmful defence of the title.

There had been those that believed Paul would show an excessive amount of, however Larry fell aside in the fourth.

“That was a great fight,” mentioned Batten. “We had an argument at the weigh-in, he said he was going to knock me out and I told him, ‘you want to try now?’ He caught me with some good shots.”

After a pause, Jimmy mentioned: “I think he quit.” Whisper it, however so did others.

In retirement, Batten labored as an actor, showing in The Bill and The Detectives and, on the massive display, The Krays and Tank Mallin. He was a minder and driver, doorman, boxing coach and singer.

“I’ve got a better voice now than I had back then,” he mentioned. I waited for the champ to interrupt right into a smile. He didn’t, as an alternative scrutinising my options for response.

I laughed for him.

Others who rose to the highest throughout Mickey Duff, Mike Barrett and Harry Levine’s dominance of the home sport, have voiced unhappiness about their lot. Batten is totally content material along with his achievements.

And he is rightly happy with the ten onerous rounds he gave Duran on the Orange Bowl, Miami, in 1982. Batten not solely confronted one of many all-time greats, he pushed these fingers of stone all the best way.

“I told everyone I was coming to win,” he recalled. “I went in the ring thinking I was going to box like I’d never boxed before. I moved it, moved it and moved it. It was a close fight, the decision (scores, 99-93, 98-94, 98-92) was ridiculous.”

“Terry Lawless was a good man,” he confused. “Maybe I should’ve earned a bit more money, but I had a good career. I would’ve liked to have fought for a world title, I’m not saying I would’ve won one, but I would’ve liked to have fought for one.”

Batten, a grandfather to 6, has each proper to be very happy along with his ring achievements. After solely two losses in 18 – each to Peter Cain – he was pitted in opposition to Albert Hillman for the vacant British light-middleweight title. Jimmy received the 1977 Albert Hall battle in the seventh.

“I’d been in with Albert Hillman as an amateur,” he mentioned. “I was confident I’d win that fight, I put it to him to the body. It was all planned.”

The belt was placed on the road in opposition to Paul and robust Tony Poole, who dragged Batten to the brink of defeat. In their gruelling 1978 conflict, Jimmy was badly damage by a crippling physique shot, however survived the storm to prevail after 13 relentless rounds. Poole was pulled out with a badly gashed nostril.

That was a draining, punishing defence – and it was the explanation, Batten states, for the catastrophe that struck in his following outing.

Just 10 weeks after being taken to a really darkish place by Poole, Jimmy confronted sturdy, however crude, Frenchman Gilbert Cohen for the vacant European title. At Wembley, the nice and cozy favorite was knocked out in three.

“After Poole, I should’ve had a break until after Christmas to heal my body,” mentioned Batten. “I had a broken nose for a start.”

Worse was to observe – on the home scene, Batten’s bubble was burst by Welshman Pat Thomas who took his British title in 9. “That was a good fight,” I ventured.

“That was a terrible fight,” Batten replied firmly. “He came out for the second round and butted me, my eye went, I couldn’t see.”

Batten rebuilt with 5 wins and was then outpointed by Chris Christian. That was his cue to up sticks to Chicago the place he had 4 fights before facing Duran.

“My uncle lived there,” he mentioned, “he had a building company and he got me a job as a builder. Chicago was lovely, a lovely place and the money was good. It was a good life.”

Batten returned to Britain in 1983, scored a positive win over future champ Jimmy Cable, fought in South Africa, squeezed in one other Chicago bout, and known as it a profession after being stopped in six by Prince Rodney for his previous British title.

In fact, the choice was compelled upon him after checks confirmed indicators of brain damage. Alarmingly, Jimmy is adamant the docs advised him one thing he already knew.

Batten no longer follows the game. “I used to, but I don’t now. Maybe I shouldn’t say it, but the fighters today don’t seem as good as in my day. Duran, Hearns, Leonard, Hagler – I don’t see anyone in that category.” Jimmy Batten could have turn out to be one thing of a footnote in British battle historical past, but he’s among the many very choose band of home boxers to face one of many Four Kings.

What’s extra, he gave him one hell of a scrap.