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British light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger found success, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the action.

Two judges scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the remaining official a even score.

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

The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts believed Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Secures Triumph in Dull Match

His career development has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a cagey early stages.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance diminished because of regular grabbing, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.

The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.

The victor progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.

Hatton Homage Fuels Manchester Derby Fight

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry battle to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.

The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage before the fight as 10 bells rang in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.

It was the first major televised fight night in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet became a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting within the ring reflected the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook flush on the jaw in the second round, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.

But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the fighters traded punishing blows.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

The victor edged the decision with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their inspiration Hatton embodied.