🔗 Share this article

UK light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Parker in the Manchester arena.

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

But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.

Two judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by disapproval from the spectators.

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

Various analysts thought the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the contender endured the second setback of his 28-match career.

Buatsi Secures Triumph in Slow Encounter

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.

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

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the better stanzas.

The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during clinches.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

The victor progresses, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Contest

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester fight to win the European light-heavyweight championship.

The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.

It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell disappeared, the silence gave way to a chant of "only one Hatton".

The competition during the bout equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, heavy swelling forming under his face as the fighters traded hard punches.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

The victor barely secured the result with official scores of draw, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their idol the legend embodied.