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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to his career under recent management with a points victory over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level appeared to earn him a split decision in a tight 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.

The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a even score.

"It wasn't my greatest performance but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was met by boos from the spectators.

The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

Buatsi Earns Triumph in Slow Encounter

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.

Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a tentative early stages.

Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with the challenger going down several times during grappling.

Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Motivates Local Rivalry Contest

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent local rivalry battle to secure the European light heavyweight title.

The stadium became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells sounded in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in September.

It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the stillness became a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The competition during the bout reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the eight count.

But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling developing under his face as the fighters landed powerful shots.

The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

The victor edged the result with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, exactly what their inspiration Hatton represented.