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British light heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker found success, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.

The officials scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.

The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer suffered the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.

Buatsi Secures Victory in Dull Encounter

Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.

Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - possibly in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.

He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to barely take the better rounds.

The crowd's patience diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker going down various instances during close exchanges.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.

Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Contest

In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to secure the European light heavyweight belt.

The arena fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who died aged 46 in recently.

It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the silence transitioned to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook flush on the face in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.

But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up early, significant bruising appearing under his face as the fighters exchanged punishing blows.

The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.

Arthur narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, everything their hero Hatton stood for.