🔗 Share this article

British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive debut to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But Parker had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the fight.

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

"It wasn't my finest showing but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor said in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts felt the challenger, 31, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.

Buatsi Secures Triumph in Uneventful Affair

Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.

Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.

Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light-heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.

The audience's tolerance decreased during frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during close exchanges.

Parker closed well, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.

Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Contest

In the co-main event, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent all-Manchester battle to secure the continental championship.

The venue grew hushed for a deeply poignant homage before the fight as 10 bells tolled in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in last month.

It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the silence transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The competition within the ring reflected the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook directly to the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.

But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage forming under his eye as the pair landed powerful shots.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.

The victor narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their idol the legend represented.