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UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a close ten-round contest at the boxing arena.

But the challenger found success, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the contest.

The scoring judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.

"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was faced boos from the spectators.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-match career.

The Champion Earns Victory in Uneventful Affair

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

Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the cleaner periods.

The crowd's patience decreased during frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.

The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.

The victor moves on, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Contest

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the European light-heavyweight championship.

The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in memory of local hero Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in last month.

It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness gave way to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".

The fighting within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the jaw in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the count of eight.

But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged powerful shots.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

The victor edged the result with official scores of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and courageous, all the qualities their idol the legend stood for.