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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to life 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 tight 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the contest.

The scoring judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was met by boos from the crowd.

The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts felt the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Affair

Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.

Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to edge the cleaner stanzas.

The crowd's patience wore thin because of frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.

Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Battle

In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a excellent local rivalry fight to secure the European light heavyweight championship.

The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as ten bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in September.

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

The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.

But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the duo traded hard punches.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

The victor narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their idol Hatton stood for.