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British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a majority decision in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a fight where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing marring the contest.

Two judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.

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

The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Earns Triumph in Slow Affair

Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.

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

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the cleaner rounds.

The crowd's patience diminished amid regular grabbing, with Parker going down various instances during close exchanges.

The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.

Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Battle

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a excellent local rivalry contest to win the European light-heavyweight championship.

The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in remembrance of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in last month.

It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the stillness became a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The competition inside the ropes matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook directly to the face in the second round, rising shakily to his feet on the count of eight.

But the traditional red attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the duo landed punishing blows.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

The victor barely secured the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were determined and full of heart, exactly what their hero the legend stood for.