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UK light heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight ten-round contest at the boxing arena.

But Parker had his moments, delivering effective clean blows in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.

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

"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They win," the victor stated in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.

The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.

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

The Champion Secures Win in Slow Affair

The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.

He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance decreased because of frequent holding, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.

Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor moves on, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Contest

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry contest to secure the European light heavyweight belt.

The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as 10 bells tolled in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.

It was the premier televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting within the ring equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his eye as the duo landed hard punches.

Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur edged the decision with scoring tallies of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their idol the legend represented.