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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the boxing arena.

But the challenger had his moments, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.

The officials judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my finest display but what do champions do? They win," the victor commented in the arena as he was met by boos from the spectators.

The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Some ringside observers felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-match career.

Buatsi Claims Win in Slow Affair

His career development has plateaued in recent times through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what appears to be a last chance - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to overcommit in a tentative early stages.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second fight at light-heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.

The spectators' acceptance decreased during constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during clinches.

The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.

Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Contest

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry battle to win the European light-heavyweight belt.

The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in September.

It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The competition within the ring equaled the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.

But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the pair traded powerful shots.

Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.

The victor edged the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and wider gap, but the two athletes were relentless and courageous, everything their inspiration Hatton stood for.