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

The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a split decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.

But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a match where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.

The scoring judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the audience.

The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

The Champion Earns Win in Dull Affair

His career development has stalled in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to edge the better rounds.

The audience's tolerance diminished during regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.

Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi advances, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Hatton Tribute Inspires All-Manchester Battle

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific all-Manchester fight to capture the European light-heavyweight title.

The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells sounded in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in September.

It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The action within the ring equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.

But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured early, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the duo landed punishing blows.

The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur barely secured the verdict with official scores of draw, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and courageous, exactly what their hero Hatton stood for.