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British light heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

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

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.

Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.

"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by boos from the spectators.

The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts believed the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout career.

Buatsi Earns Triumph in Dull Match

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to be aggressive in a calculated early stages.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the better stanzas.

The audience's tolerance diminished during frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor several times during grappling.

Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.

The victor moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Fight

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight title.

The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.

It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the silence gave way to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The action inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch flush on the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured soon, significant bruising forming under his eye as the pair exchanged powerful shots.

The challenger, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.

Arthur barely secured the verdict with official scores of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their idol the legend represented.