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UK light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming beginning to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the boxing arena.

But Parker had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the styles failed to mesh, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.

The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

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

The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Some ringside observers felt the challenger, 31, merited the victory but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-fight career.

Buatsi Claims Triumph in Dull Match

His career development has slowed in recent times through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.

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

He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to edge the better periods.

The crowd's patience diminished amid regular grabbing, with the challenger going down several times during grappling.

The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.

The victor moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Contest

In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to win the European light-heavyweight championship.

The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.

It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell disappeared, the silence gave way to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The competition during the bout matched the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook directly to the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over 12 rounds.

Arthur narrowly won the decision with judges scorecards of draw, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and brave, everything their hero the legend embodied.