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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to life under recent management with a points victory over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the action.

The officials judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor stated in the ring as he was met by boos from the audience.

The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts felt Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer experienced the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.

Buatsi Secures Triumph in Dull Encounter

The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a cagey early stages.

Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to barely take the cleaner stanzas.

The audience's tolerance wore thin during frequent holding, with Parker going down several times during close exchanges.

Parker closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi advances, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Contest

In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester battle to secure the continental championship.

The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.

It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the silence gave way to a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The competition during the bout matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the fighters landed punishing blows.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.

The victor narrowly won the decision with official scores of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, everything their idol Hatton stood for.