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

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the boxing arena.

But Parker found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the contest.

The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a even score.

"It wasn't my finest showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.

The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th pro success.

Various analysts felt Parker, 31, deserved the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.

The Champion Secures Victory in Dull Encounter

Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a tentative early stages.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second bout 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 tight guard to narrowly win the better stanzas.

The crowd's patience diminished during regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.

The underdog closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Contest

In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester battle to secure the continental title.

The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional memorial prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.

It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the silence transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The competition during the bout reflected the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch directly to the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.

But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling forming under his face as the duo exchanged hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over the full distance.

The victor barely secured the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their inspiration Hatton embodied.