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UK light heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to life under new promoters with a points victory over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But Parker found success, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the styles never quite clicked, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.

The scoring judges judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a even score.

"It wasn't my greatest performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.

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

Several boxing experts believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-bout career.

Buatsi Earns Win in Uneventful Encounter

Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.

He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a calculated early stages.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to edge the cleaner periods.

The audience's tolerance decreased amid constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.

Parker closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Battle

In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light heavyweight belt.

The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the final chime ended, the quiet transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Hatton".

The competition within the ring reflected the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the eight count.

But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured soon, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the pair traded hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

Arthur narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and brave, everything their inspiration the legend represented.