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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to his career under recent management with a decision win over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a tight ten-round contest at the boxing arena.

But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the fight.

The officials had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.

The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to secure a 20th pro success.

Various analysts believed Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Earns Triumph in Dull Encounter

The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to take risks in a tentative early stages.

Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at light heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the more effective periods.

The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.

The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.

The victor moves on, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Fight

In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry contest to secure the continental belt.

The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in last month.

It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell faded, the quiet gave way to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling developing under his face as the fighters exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over twelve rounds.

The victor edged the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, narrow lead and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration the legend represented.