Raised in the Bridgeton and Possilpark neighbourhoods of Glasgow, Watt trained at Cardowan Amateur Boxing Club in the city's Maryhill district. His father died when Jim was five years old. He came to prominence in 1968 by beating John H. Stracey to the ABA Championships; he turned professional immediately afterwards, declining the chance to compete as an amateur at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City. Watt lost to cockney boxer Johnny Claydon before he was crowned champion. Watt beat such notables as future world champion Sean O'Grady, former world champion Perico Fernandez, Charlie Nash and Howard Davis Jr. The fight with O'Grady was particularly controversial: Watt won by a knockout in round twelve when the referee stopped the fight because of a cut suffered by O'Grady. According to the book, , the cut was produced by a head-butt, in which case the judges' scorecards would have been checked, and whoever was ahead given the win by a technical decision. The referee, however, declared incorrectly that O' Grady's cut had been produced by a punch, therefore, Watt officially, but unjustly, won the fight by knockout. When O'Grady won the WBA title four months later Watt was declared lightweight champion by The Ring. Watt had also fought, and lost to, Ken Buchanan after 15 rounds in 1973. On 20 June 1981, he fought his last fight, when losing the WBC world Lightweight title to Alexis Argüello by a 15-round decision in London. Watt retired with a record of 38 wins and 8 losses.
After boxing
Watt, along with former world Middleweight champion Alan Minter, earns his living as an after dinner speaker. He was awarded an MBE. He was long-term co-commentator with Reg Gutteridge on ITV's The Big Fight Live and moved with Gutteridge to Sky Sports in 1996 when ITV withdrew from boxing coverage. During 2016, Watt announced his retirement as a boxing commentator. Watt made a special guest appearance on the BBC's Still Game sitcom in August, 2007, as well as television adverts for Kelvin Timber in the 1980s. He and his family settled in the town of Kirkintilloch to the north of Glasgow.
Personal life
In June 2015, Watt's 38-year-old daughter Michelle Watt was found dead in her home. She appeared in various programmes as a television hostess, including 60 Minute Makeover. Watt's 17-year-old son James died in a car crash in 1995.
