Lackluster Buatsi Beats Zach Parker in Manchester Bout

UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round contest at the boxing arena.

But the challenger found success, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.

The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was faced boos from the audience.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th pro success.

Several boxing experts believed Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

The Champion Secures Win in Slow Match

His career development has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.

Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to overcommit in a tentative early stages.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.

The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid regular grabbing, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.

The underdog finished the stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Inspires All-Manchester Battle

In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester battle to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.

The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial prior to the bout as ten bells rang in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.

It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness gave way to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The action inside the ropes equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.

Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over the full distance.

The victor edged the result with official scores of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their idol the legend stood for.