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UK light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive start to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But Parker found success, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the fight.

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

"It wasn't my finest showing but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor stated in the ringside as he was met by boos from the spectators.

The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts thought Parker, 31, deserved the victory but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.

Buatsi Secures Triumph in Dull Affair

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

Once tipped as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.

He opened tentatively, with the two boxers prepared to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the better rounds.

The audience's tolerance diminished amid constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.

The victor advances, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Battle

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific all-Manchester fight to secure the European light-heavyweight title.

The stadium became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in last month.

It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet gave way to a chant of "there's just one Hatton".

The action inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.

But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the duo landed hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.

Arthur edged the verdict with official scores of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and courageous, exactly what their idol Hatton stood for.