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UK light heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.

But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.

The officials judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest performance but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Secures Triumph in Uneventful Affair

The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.

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

He started carefully, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.

Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.

By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.

The crowd's patience wore thin because of frequent holding, with the challenger going down several times during grappling.

The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Contest

In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry battle to capture the European light heavyweight championship.

The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.

It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting within the ring matched the feeling. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch flush on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his position on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the pair landed hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.

The victor barely secured the verdict with official scores of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton represented.