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UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round fight at the boxing arena.

But Parker had his moments, delivering effective individual punches in a match where the styles failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.

Two judges had it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best performance but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the spectators.

The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the win but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.

The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Encounter

Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter ready to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a solid defense to narrowly win the better periods.

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

The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Motivates All-Manchester Battle

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by close verdict in a terrific all-Manchester contest to capture the European light heavyweight belt.

The arena became quiet for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of local hero Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.

It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the silence gave way to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The competition during the bout reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the face in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.

But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged quickly, heavy swelling forming under his face as the fighters landed hard punches.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, all the qualities their hero the legend embodied.