🔗 Share this article

UK light-heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to life under new promoters with a decision win over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.

The officials scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.

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

The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the contender endured the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.

The Champion Secures Win in Dull Match

The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.

He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective rounds.

The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during clinches.

The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor moves on, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Fight

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester contest to secure the European light heavyweight title.

The arena fell silent for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.

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

The action within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a significant blow directly to the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.

But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured early, significant bruising developing under his face as the duo landed hard punches.

The challenger, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

The victor edged the decision with judges scorecards of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and courageous, exactly what their hero the legend represented.