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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a close 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But Parker found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching spoiling the action.

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

"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.

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

Some ringside observers felt Parker, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.

The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Match

His career development has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner stanzas.

The crowd's patience decreased amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.

The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Contest

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.

The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as ten bells rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.

It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the silence transitioned to a chant of "there's just one Hatton".

The competition during the bout equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.

But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured early, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.

The victor barely secured the result with official scores of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and courageous, exactly what their hero the legend embodied.