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British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the contest.

The officials had it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.

"It wasn't my best display but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.

The Champion Earns Victory in Dull Encounter

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

Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter ready to be aggressive in a cagey initial rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second bout at light-heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during close exchanges.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.

The victor progresses, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.

Hatton Tribute Motivates Manchester Derby Contest

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

The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who died aged 46 in recently.

It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".

The action within the ring equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.

But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.

The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.

Arthur narrowly won the result with official scores of draw, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, everything their inspiration Hatton represented.