🔗 Share this article

UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to life under recent management with a decision win over Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But Parker had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the fight.

Two judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.

"It wasn't my greatest showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the spectators.

The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.

Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, merited the victory but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.

The Champion Earns Triumph in Uneventful Match

Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.

Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a cagey early stages.

The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was participating in his second fight 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 cleaner rounds.

The spectators' acceptance diminished amid frequent holding, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.

The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Contest

In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.

The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in September.

It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet gave way to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook flush on the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.

But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up soon, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the duo landed punishing blows.

The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

Arthur narrowly won the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.