Disappointing Buatsi Defeats Parker in Manchester

British light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the boxing arena.

But Parker had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a contest where the styles failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the action.

The scoring judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a even score.

"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by negative reactions from the audience.

The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th career victory.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Affair

His career development has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of lack of fights.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.

He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a tentative opening few rounds.

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

By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the cleaner stanzas.

The audience's tolerance decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during clinches.

Parker closed well, but several stanzas were difficult to score. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Battle

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry fight to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.

The venue fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.

It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell faded, the silence gave way to a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting during the bout reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.

But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage appearing under his orbital area as the duo exchanged punishing blows.

The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace seldom decreased over the full distance.

The victor barely secured the result with official scores of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, everything their hero the legend represented.