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UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a majority decision in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful single shots in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the action.

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

"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi said in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.

The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Several boxing experts thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the contender suffered the second loss of his 28-match career.

Buatsi Claims Win in Dull Affair

The fighter's advancement has stalled in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.

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

Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the cleaner rounds.

The crowd's patience decreased amid regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.

Parker ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi advances, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.

Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Fight

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the European light heavyweight belt.

The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute before the fight as 10 bells sounded in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.

It was the premier televised match card in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell disappeared, the silence became a chant of "there's only one Hatton".

The competition within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a left hook squarely on the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the eight count.

But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the duo traded hard punches.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and brave, everything their idol Hatton embodied.