🔗 Share this article

UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But Parker had his moments, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.

Two judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95.

"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They win," the victor commented in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.

The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.

The Champion Secures Triumph in Uneventful Encounter

The fighter's advancement has stalled in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.

Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to overcommit in a tentative early stages.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the more effective periods.

The crowd's patience wore thin because of regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Battle

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the European light heavyweight title.

The arena grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of local hero Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.

It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence became a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch directly to the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.

But the traditional red attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage appearing under his face as the pair traded punishing blows.

The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur barely secured the verdict with official scores of 114-114, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, everything their hero the legend represented.