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British light-heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to life under recent management with a points victory over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling single shots in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the fight.

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

"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the spectators.

The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.

Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-match career.

Buatsi Claims Triumph in Uneventful Match

The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter ready to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective periods.

The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during clinches.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Fight

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the continental belt.

The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in memory of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.

It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow directly to the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.

But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured soon, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

The victor narrowly won the decision with official scores of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and courageous, everything their hero the legend represented.