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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a close 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the action.

The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95.

"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the audience.

The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.

Buatsi Earns Victory in Dull Encounter

Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.

Once tipped as the next star of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the cleaner periods.

The audience's tolerance wore thin during frequent holding, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.

Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Battle

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the continental belt.

The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of the city's native Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in recently.

It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The action during the bout equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his eye as the pair exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur narrowly won the decision with official scores of draw, 115-113 and 115-112, but the two athletes were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol Hatton represented.