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UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But Parker had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the styles failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.

The officials judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

The Champion Claims Victory in Slow Match

The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the next star of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a tentative early stages.

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

By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance diminished because of frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.

The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.

The victor advances, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Fight

In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a terrific all-Manchester contest to win the European light heavyweight belt.

The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute before the fight as ten bells sounded in memory of the city's native Hatton, who died aged 46 in recently.

It was the first major televised boxing event in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet became a shout of "only one Hatton".

The action within the ring equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the initial stage, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage developing under his eye as the duo traded punishing blows.

The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor barely secured the decision with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and courageous, everything their idol the legend embodied.