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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective single shots in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the contest.

The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They win," the victor said in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.

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

Some ringside observers believed Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the British boxer experienced the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.

The Champion Earns Win in Uneventful Encounter

His career development has plateaued in the past few years through management issues and long spells of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.

He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the better rounds.

The crowd's patience wore thin during constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during grappling.

The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Contest

In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester contest to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.

The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the quiet gave way to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow flush on the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his feet on the referee's count.

But the traditional red attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage forming under his eye as the pair exchanged punishing blows.

Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor narrowly won the decision with official scores of 114-114, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were persistent and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.