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British light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the fight.

The officials had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.

"It wasn't my finest display but what do champions do? They win," the victor stated in the arena as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts thought the challenger, thirty-one, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.

The Champion Earns Victory in Dull Affair

Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through management issues and long spells of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.

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

By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the cleaner rounds.

The spectators' acceptance diminished because of regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

Parker ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.

The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Contest

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester fight to capture the European light heavyweight title.

The venue grew hushed for a deeply poignant tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.

It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime ended, the quiet transitioned to a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch directly to the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.

But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the fighters traded hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur narrowly won the verdict with official scores of draw, close margin and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, exactly what their hero the legend represented.