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British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive debut to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a majority decision in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching spoiling the fight.

The scoring judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.

"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor said in the ring as he was greeted with disapproval from the crowd.

The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to secure a 20th pro success.

Several boxing experts believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer experienced the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.

The Champion Claims Win in Slow Match

Buatsi's progress has plateaued in the past few years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the more effective stanzas.

The spectators' acceptance decreased amid regular grabbing, with Parker going down multiple occasions during clinches.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi advances, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.

Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Fight

In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight championship.

The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as 10 bells tolled in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.

It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the silence transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".

The competition during the bout equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.

But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured early, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the duo exchanged hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur edged the result with official scores of draw, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and brave, everything their inspiration Hatton stood for.