🔗 Share this article

UK light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a majority decision in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But Parker found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching spoiling the fight.

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

"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th career victory.

Some ringside observers felt Parker, thirty-one, merited the decision but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Earns Victory in Uneventful Affair

His career development has plateaued in recent times through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.

Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to be aggressive in a tentative opening few rounds.

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was competing in only his second bout at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to edge the more effective rounds.

The crowd's patience diminished amid frequent holding, with Parker going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.

The victor advances, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Fight

In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to win the European light-heavyweight title.

The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as ten bells sounded in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the silence transitioned to a chant of "there's just one Hatton".

The competition within the ring reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the face in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up early, significant bruising developing under his eye as the duo exchanged hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.

Arthur barely secured the verdict with scoring tallies of draw, 115-113 and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and brave, all the qualities their hero Hatton embodied.