🔗 Share this article

British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But Parker found success, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the styles failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.

Two judges had it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the audience.

The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts thought the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the win but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout career.

Buatsi Claims Victory in Slow Encounter

The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through management issues and long spells of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective rounds.

The audience's tolerance diminished during regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Fight

In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the European light heavyweight title.

The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as ten bells sounded in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.

It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the final chime ended, the silence became a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The competition within the ring reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook flush on the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.

But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the duo landed powerful shots.

The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

The victor edged the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, 115-113 and clearer margin, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton stood for.