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British light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a close ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.

The scoring judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer experienced the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.

Buatsi Earns Triumph in Uneventful Affair

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

Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.

He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance diminished during regular grabbing, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during clinches.

The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor progresses, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Battle

In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to secure the European light heavyweight championship.

The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.

It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The competition inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor barely secured the decision with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and brave, exactly what their inspiration Hatton stood for.