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

The Olympic medal winner's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the fight.

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

"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.

The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th career victory.

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

Buatsi Secures Win in Uneventful Match

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

Previously predicted as the next star of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - possibly in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.

He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.

The crowd's patience wore thin amid frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.

The underdog closed well, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Contest

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

The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as ten bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.

It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness became a chant of "only one Hatton".

The competition within the ring matched the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook flush on the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.

But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured early, significant bruising forming under his eye as the duo traded punishing blows.

Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.

Arthur edged the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol the legend embodied.