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British light heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.

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

But Parker found success, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching spoiling the action.

Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a even score.

"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was faced disapproval from the audience.

The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th career victory.

Some ringside observers thought Parker, thirty-one, merited the win but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Earns Win in Slow Encounter

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.

Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under fresh management.

He started carefully, with both competitors ready to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the cleaner stanzas.

The crowd's patience decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker going down several times during grappling.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.

The victor advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Fight

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry contest to capture the European light heavyweight championship.

The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute before the fight as ten bells sounded in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.

It was the premier televised match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the final chime faded, the silence became a chant of "there's only one Hatton".

The action inside the ropes reflected the emotion. Arthur was floored by a left hook flush on the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.

But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling developing under his face as the fighters landed powerful shots.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

Arthur barely secured the verdict with official scores of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and brave, everything their inspiration the legend represented.