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UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming beginning to life under recent management with a points victory over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the action.

The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a even score.

"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by boos from the crowd.

The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th career victory.

Some ringside observers thought Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Claims Victory in Slow Encounter

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a cagey early stages.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the more effective rounds.

The audience's tolerance decreased amid frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.

Parker closed well, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Contest

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight title.

The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional homage ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in memory of the city's native Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.

It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime ended, the quiet gave way to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".

The action within the ring matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged early, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the fighters exchanged punishing blows.

The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.

Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were determined and brave, everything their idol Hatton represented.