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British light heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming beginning to his career under recent management with a points victory over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.

Two judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a even score.

"It wasn't my finest performance but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.

The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th pro success.

Various analysts thought Parker, 31, deserved the win but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.

Buatsi Claims Victory in Dull Match

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the cleaner periods.

The spectators' acceptance decreased because of regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.

The underdog closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor progresses, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.

Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Fight

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight title.

The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute prior to the bout as a bell ceremony sounded in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.

It was the premier televised fight night in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound faded, the stillness became a roar of "there's only one Hatton".

The action inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch flush on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his feet on the eight count.

But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling forming under his face as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.

The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their hero Hatton stood for.