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British light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.

But the challenger found success, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the styles failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the action.

Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They win," the victor commented in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.

The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Some ringside observers felt Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-match career.

The Champion Earns Victory in Dull Encounter

His career development has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.

Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what seems like a last chance - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to overcommit in a cagey early stages.

Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light-heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to barely take the cleaner stanzas.

The audience's tolerance wore thin because of regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

Parker ended stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.

The victor advances, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Motivates Manchester Derby Battle

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to win the European light-heavyweight championship.

The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.

It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".

The action during the bout equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair landed powerful shots.

The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

The victor edged the verdict with official scores of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but each competitor were relentless and brave, everything their inspiration Hatton stood for.