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

The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker found success, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the fight.

The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi said in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the audience.

The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers believed Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the contender suffered the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.

The Champion Earns Win in Slow Affair

His career development has plateaued in recent years through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a cagey opening few rounds.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective periods.

The crowd's patience wore thin during constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.

The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.

The victor progresses, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Contest

In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight belt.

The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime disappeared, the silence gave way to a roar of "only one Hatton".

The competition inside the ropes equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow directly to the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.

But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured early, heavy swelling forming under his eye as the fighters landed hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.

The victor narrowly won the verdict with official scores of even score, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton stood for.