Lackluster Joshua Buatsi Outpoints Parker in Manchester Bout

British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.

But the challenger found success, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the action.

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

"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.

The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, deserved the victory but the contender experienced the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.

Buatsi Earns Triumph in Slow Encounter

Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to barely take the better periods.

The spectators' acceptance decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker going down several times during close exchanges.

The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Local Rivalry Battle

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight belt.

The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in memory of the city's native Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.

It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".

The competition inside the ropes reflected the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow flush on the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.

But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising appearing under his face as the pair exchanged punishing blows.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, everything their idol Hatton represented.