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UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round contest at the boxing arena.

But the challenger had his moments, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the action.

The officials judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ring as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.

The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts felt Parker, 31, merited the win but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.

The Champion Earns Win in Slow Affair

His career development has stalled in recent years through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.

Previously predicted as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.

He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second bout at light-heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the more effective rounds.

The audience's tolerance decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker going down various instances during clinches.

Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.

The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Battle

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent local rivalry battle to secure the continental title.

The stadium became quiet for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as ten bells rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the silence became a chant of "there's only one Hatton".

The action inside the ropes matched the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the jaw in the initial stage, rising shakily to his position on the count of eight.

But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged punishing blows.

Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.

Arthur narrowly won the decision with official scores of 114-114, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.