🔗 Share this article

UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.

The scoring judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.

"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the audience.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.

Various analysts felt Parker, 31, deserved the win but the contender suffered the second loss of his 28-fight career.

The Champion Claims Victory in Slow Match

Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the more effective stanzas.

The spectators' acceptance decreased amid constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.

Parker closed well, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.

Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Battle

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.

The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as ten bells rang in honor of local hero Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in last month.

It was the premier televised fight night in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime faded, the stillness became a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting within the ring reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the duo traded powerful shots.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over the full distance.

The victor edged the result with official scores of draw, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.