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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a tight ten-round bout at the boxing arena.

But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.

The officials had it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor stated in the arena as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers felt the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Earns Victory in Slow Encounter

The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to take risks in a cagey early stages.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight 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 halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective rounds.

The spectators' acceptance decreased during constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.

The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.

The victor advances, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Contest

In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight championship.

The stadium grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.

It was the premier televised fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".

The fighting within the ring matched the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.

But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the duo exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.

Arthur barely secured the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and brave, everything their idol the legend represented.