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British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a split decision in a close 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the contest.

Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a even score.

"It wasn't my best showing but what do champions do? They win," the victor said in the ring as he was faced boos from the audience.

The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th career victory.

Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Claims Victory in Dull Affair

Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a tentative early stages.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the better stanzas.

The spectators' acceptance decreased because of regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.

Parker closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

The victor moves on, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Fight

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the continental belt.

The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.

It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the silence became a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch flush on the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage developing under his eye as the pair exchanged hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

Arthur barely secured the result with official scores of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their idol Hatton embodied.