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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming beginning to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

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

But the challenger found success, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the fight.

Two judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a even score.

"It wasn't my best performance but what defines champions? They win," the victor said in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.

Several boxing experts believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-match career.

The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Match

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the better periods.

The crowd's patience diminished amid regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Inspires Local Rivalry Contest

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

The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as ten bells sounded in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who died aged 46 in last month.

It was the premier televised fight night in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the jaw in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.

But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up early, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the duo traded punishing blows.

The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over the full distance.

The victor narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their hero Hatton stood for.