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British light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker found success, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.

Two judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a even score.

"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the spectators.

The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Affair

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a calculated early stages.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the better rounds.

The spectators' acceptance decreased amid constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.

The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.

The victor progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Fight

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester battle to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.

The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as 10 bells rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.

It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the silence transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".

The competition inside the ropes reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the duo landed punishing blows.

Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.

The victor edged the result with official scores of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were persistent and brave, everything their inspiration Hatton embodied.