🔗 Share this article

British light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive beginning to life under recent management with a points victory over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the boxing arena.

But Parker landed significant shots, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.

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

"It wasn't my best display but what defines champions? They prevail," the victor commented in the ring as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.

The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second loss of his 28-fight career.

The Champion Secures Win in Uneventful Affair

Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to take risks in a tentative early stages.

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 making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the cleaner rounds.

The audience's tolerance wore thin during regular grabbing, with Parker going down various instances during grappling.

Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Contest

In the secondary fight, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the continental belt.

The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as ten bells sounded in honor of local hero Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.

It was the premier televised fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the final chime disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "only one Hatton".

The competition during the bout equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.

But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the duo traded hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

The victor edged the decision with official scores of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton represented.