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

The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.

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

"It wasn't my finest performance but how do champions respond? They win," the victor said in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the crowd.

The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts thought the challenger, thirty-one, merited the decision but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-fight career.

The Champion Secures Triumph in Dull Affair

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

Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to overcommit in a tentative early stages.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at light-heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to edge the better periods.

The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.

The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Battle

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the continental belt.

The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as ten bells sounded in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died aged 46 in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the second round, rising shakily to his feet on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the duo exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

The victor narrowly won the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their idol Hatton embodied.