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British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a split decision in a close ten-round contest at the boxing arena.

But the challenger found success, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding spoiling the contest.

The officials judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.

Buatsi Earns Victory in Dull Affair

Buatsi's progress has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.

Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter ready to take risks in a calculated early stages.

Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner stanzas.

The crowd's patience diminished during constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during grappling.

The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Battle

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry contest to capture the continental championship.

The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The competition within the ring matched the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a left hook directly to the chin in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.

But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.

The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

Arthur edged the result with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton stood for.