His first big win came on July 26, 1929, when he upset NBA world bantamweight champion "Panama" Al Brown on a 10-round decision in Hartford, Connecticut.

[5] The victory over Brown made Battalino a top contender and garnered him a title match with world featherweight champion André Routis on September 23, 1929, in his hometown, Hartford, Connecticut.

The 21-year-old Battalino made the most of his opportunity and defeated Frenchman Routis over 15 rounds, becoming one of the youngest competitors to win the world featherweight title.

[6] On April 25, 1930, Battalino defeated former world bantamweight champion Bushy Graham in a non-title fight before a crowd of 6,000, winning at least eight of the ten rounds in a points decision in Hartford, Connecticut.

[1] During the next two years he successfully defended his crown by defeating Ignacio Fernandez, Earl Mastro, and Hall of Famers Kid Chocolate, Fidel LaBarba and Freddie Miller.

[1] Battalino defeated Kid Chocolate in a fifteen round unanimous decision before a crowd of 15,000 at Madison Square Garden for the NYSAC world featherweight championship on December 12, 1930.

[9] Battalino convincingly defeated Hall of Famer Fidel LaBarba at Madison Square Garden before a crowd of 9,000 in a fifteen round Unanimous Decision on May 22, 1931.

After his victory, most of the boxing world began to acknowledge that Battalino was a champion who had earned his title, as his opponent LaBarba was highly respected and a 2-1 favorite in the early betting.

[1][10] Battalino defeated Earl Mastro in a ten round mixed decision NBA featherweight world championship bout on November 4, 1931, before a crowd of 14,000 at Chicago Stadium.

Battalino defeated 1927 World Bantamweight Champion Bud Taylor in a ten round points decision before a modest 6,600 fans on August 18, 1930, in East Hartford, Connecticut.

Using his right to protect his head and body, Battalino was very effective with his left, but almost always from inside, and the fight's consistent infighting and frequent clinching, did not please the crowd.

[13] In a non-title bout, Lois "Kid" Kaplan, 1925 world featherweight champion, defeated Battalino in a ten round points decision before a crowd of 7,000 on September 24, 1930, at Hurley Stadium in Hartford, Connecticut.

Battalino took a number of hard shots in the second, third, and fourth, but he fought fiercely in the infighting and may have landed some of the hardest and cleanest blows of his later career.

[16] While still holding the championship, Battalino decisively defeated 1930 world lightweight champion Al Singer, before a crowd of 17,000 at New York's Madison Square Garden on December 11, 1931.

After he rose, he was chased around the ring by Battalino who put him down again with a right to the chin for a count of four, just before the referee justifiably called the bout a technical knockout and helped move Singer to his corner.

Singer's labored retreat from Battalino after he was first put down, his inability to defend himself, and his struggle to mount an attack, indicated a boxer who had, at least for the moment, lost most of his physical faculties.

[19] To end any confusion about his championship status, Battalino voluntarily relinquished the title in March and moved up a weightclass to fight at the lightweight limit.

[1] Battalino lost to the exceptional future light and welterweight champion Barney Ross on October 21, 1932, in a ten round unanimous decision at Chicago Stadium.

[23] On October 23, 1934, Battalino defeated future World Colored Welterweight champion, Puerto Ricon boxer Cocoa Kid, in a seven round technical knockout in Hartford.