🔗 Share this article

British light heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round contest at the boxing arena.

But Parker had his moments, delivering effective individual punches in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching spoiling the contest.

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

"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor said in the ring as he was met by boos from the spectators.

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

Various analysts felt Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.

Buatsi Earns Victory in Slow Match

The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.

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

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at the higher weight class.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the cleaner stanzas.

The spectators' acceptance decreased amid frequent holding, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.

The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.

The victor advances, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Fight

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry fight to capture the continental belt.

The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.

It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness became a chant of "only one Hatton".

The action during the bout reflected the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.

But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the fighters landed hard punches.

The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.

The victor narrowly won the decision with official scores of draw, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their hero the legend embodied.