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UK light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the boxing arena.

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.

Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a even score.

"It wasn't my finest showing but what do champions do? They win," the victor stated in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the spectators.

The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Earns Triumph in Dull Match

Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through management issues and long spells of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a calculated early stages.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective rounds.

The crowd's patience diminished during constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

The underdog closed well, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor progresses, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels All-Manchester Fight

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester battle to capture the European light heavyweight belt.

The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as 10 bells rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.

It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound ended, the silence gave way to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting within the ring matched the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.

But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising developing under his face as the pair landed powerful shots.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over twelve rounds.

Arthur barely secured the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and brave, everything their hero Hatton represented.