🔗 Share this article

UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a majority decision in a close 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker found success, delivering effective clean blows in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching spoiling the contest.

Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the audience.

The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th pro success.

Several boxing experts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

Buatsi Claims Victory in Slow Match

Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

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

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a solid defense to edge the cleaner stanzas.

The spectators' acceptance wore thin during constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.

The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.

The victor advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Battle

In the supporting bout, Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry fight to secure the continental championship.

The arena grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells rang in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.

It was the premier televised fight night in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch directly to the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.

But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the pair traded powerful shots.

The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over the full distance.

The victor edged the result with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, exactly what their idol Hatton stood for.