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UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective clean blows in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing marring the fight.

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

"It wasn't my finest showing but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was greeted with disapproval from the audience.

The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Various analysts believed Parker, 31, merited the victory but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Claims Victory in Slow Affair

His career development has plateaued in recent years through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to be aggressive in a cagey early stages.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to narrowly win the better periods.

The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during grappling.

The underdog closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still appears challenging.

Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Battle

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to secure the European light-heavyweight title.

The arena grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.

It was the first major televised fight night in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime disappeared, the stillness gave way to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".

The competition inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.

But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured early, noticeable damage appearing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged powerful shots.

The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

The victor barely secured the verdict with scoring tallies of draw, 115-113 and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration the legend embodied.