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UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching spoiling the fight.

The officials judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a even score.

"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor stated in the ring as he was faced boos from the crowd.

The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

Buatsi Claims Win in Uneventful Match

His career development has plateaued in recent times through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.

Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to barely take the more effective periods.

The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.

The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.

The victor advances, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Battle

In the supporting bout, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester fight to win the continental title.

The stadium grew hushed for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in honor of local hero Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.

It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet gave way to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".

The fighting within the ring equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.

But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.

Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over the full distance.

Arthur narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton embodied.