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UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker found success, delivering effective individual punches in a match where the techniques failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the action.

The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They win," the victor commented in the ringside as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.

The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts thought the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Secures Win in Uneventful Affair

His career development has plateaued in the past few years through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.

He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second bout at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a solid defense to barely take the better rounds.

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

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Contest

In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight title.

The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells rang in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.

It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness gave way to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.

But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured early, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the pair exchanged powerful shots.

Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur edged the result with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but the two athletes were relentless and courageous, exactly what their hero Hatton stood for.