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UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a majority decision in a close ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But Parker found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the styles failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the fight.

The officials had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They win," the victor commented in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the audience.

The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the victory but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

Buatsi Secures Triumph in Uneventful Encounter

The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.

Once tipped as the future of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.

He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the better stanzas.

The audience's tolerance wore thin amid frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.

Parker closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.

The victor advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Battle

In the co-main event, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to win the European light-heavyweight belt.

The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as 10 bells sounded in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died aged 46 in September.

It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".

The competition within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch flush on the jaw in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up early, significant bruising forming under his face as the duo exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.

Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their inspiration the legend stood for.