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

The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the boxing arena.

But Parker found success, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the styles never quite clicked, with frequent clinching marring the contest.

The officials scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.

"It wasn't my finest showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the audience.

The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers felt Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second setback of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Claims Win in Dull Match

His career development has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what appears to be a last chance - under fresh management.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter ready to overcommit in a tentative opening few rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance wore thin during frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Contest

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry contest to win the European light-heavyweight championship.

The venue became quiet for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of local hero Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.

It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound faded, the silence became a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The action inside the ropes equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.

But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured early, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the duo landed punishing blows.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur edged the result with official scores of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and brave, all the qualities their inspiration the legend represented.