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UK light heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching spoiling the action.

Two judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best showing but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the audience.

The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.

Various analysts believed Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Earns Victory in Uneventful Affair

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

Earlier forecast as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with both competitors prepared to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to barely take the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance wore thin because of constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.

The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Contest

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester contest to capture the continental belt.

The stadium became quiet for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as ten bells rang in memory of local hero Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the silence became a shout of "there's only one Hatton".

The action inside the ropes equaled the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.

But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured early, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the duo landed hard punches.

Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace seldom decreased over 12 rounds.

The victor edged the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, everything their idol the legend embodied.