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British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to his career under recent management with a points victory over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round fight at the boxing arena.

But Parker had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the action.

The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.

The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.

Various analysts felt Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.

The Champion Claims Victory in Slow Affair

Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.

Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.

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 participating in his second bout at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the better stanzas.

The audience's tolerance wore thin amid frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.

Parker closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi advances, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Homage Fuels Manchester Derby Contest

In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry fight to win the European light heavyweight championship.

The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in recently.

It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell ended, the stillness became a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The competition within the ring matched the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.

But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged quickly, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the duo exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.

Arthur edged the verdict with official scores of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, everything their inspiration the legend embodied.