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UK light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing beginning to life under recent management with a decision win over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching spoiling the contest.

Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor commented in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the crowd.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts believed Parker, thirty-one, merited the victory but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-match career.

The Champion Claims Triumph in Uneventful Match

Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the better stanzas.

The crowd's patience decreased amid frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.

The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Fight

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a excellent local rivalry fight to win the European light-heavyweight title.

The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.

It was the first major televised match card in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Hatton".

The competition inside the ropes reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the face in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.

But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling forming under his eye as the duo traded hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over the full distance.

Arthur edged the decision with scoring tallies of draw, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and brave, exactly what their hero the legend stood for.