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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.

The officials judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.

The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Earns Win in Uneventful Encounter

The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.

He started carefully, with both competitors willing to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the cleaner periods.

The crowd's patience wore thin during frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor several times during clinches.

The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.

Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Fight

In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to capture the continental championship.

The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as 10 bells tolled in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in last month.

It was the premier televised match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the silence became a chant of "there's just one Hatton".

The fighting within the ring reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the jaw in the initial stage, rising shakily to his feet on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up soon, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the fighters traded hard punches.

Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.

Arthur edged the verdict with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their idol the legend represented.