Disappointing Buatsi Beats Parker in Manchester Fight

UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round contest at the boxing arena.

But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with frequent clinching marring the contest.

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

"It wasn't my finest performance but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Some ringside observers thought the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the contender suffered the second setback of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Claims Win in Dull Encounter

His career development has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.

He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the cleaner periods.

The spectators' acceptance decreased amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor several times during clinches.

The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

The victor advances, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels All-Manchester Contest

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry contest to secure the continental belt.

The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as ten bells rang in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.

It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the stillness became a roar of "there's just one Hatton".

The fighting during the bout equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch directly to the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the eight count.

But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the fighters traded hard punches.

The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur edged the result with official scores of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and brave, all the qualities their idol the legend embodied.