🔗 Share this article

British light heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to his career under recent management with a points victory over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a close ten-round fight at the boxing arena.

But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.

Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my greatest showing but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was met by boos from the audience.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts felt Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer suffered the second setback of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Secures Victory in Dull Match

Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.

Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.

By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to edge the cleaner periods.

The audience's tolerance diminished during constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.

Parker ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Battle

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.

The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in last month.

It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell ended, the quiet gave way to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The action within the ring matched the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.

But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, significant bruising appearing under his face as the fighters exchanged hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor edged the result with official scores of draw, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton represented.