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UK light heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the styles never quite clicked, with frequent clinching spoiling the action.

The scoring judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They win," the victor commented in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the spectators.

The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Some ringside observers thought the challenger, 31, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-match career.

The Champion Earns Triumph in Uneventful Affair

Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a cagey initial rounds.

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to edge the better rounds.

The spectators' acceptance wore thin during frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.

The underdog closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.

The victor progresses, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Local Rivalry Contest

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a excellent local rivalry fight to capture the continental title.

The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.

It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell faded, the quiet gave way to a roar of "only one Hatton".

The competition during the bout matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a left hook flush on the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his position on the referee's count.

But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling developing under his face as the fighters traded powerful shots.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor narrowly won the decision with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and brave, exactly what their inspiration the legend embodied.