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British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

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

But Parker found success, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching marring the contest.

The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a even score.

"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor commented in the arena as he was met by boos from the audience.

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

Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, merited the decision but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

Buatsi Claims Win in Slow Match

His career development has slowed in recent times through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under fresh management.

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

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was making just his second fight at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to edge the more effective periods.

The spectators' acceptance diminished because of constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Contest

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to secure the European light heavyweight title.

The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.

It was the premier televised fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The competition within the ring matched the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.

But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged quickly, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the duo landed hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their hero Hatton embodied.