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UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.

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

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the action.

The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by negative reactions from the audience.

The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th career victory.

Various analysts thought the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.

The Champion Earns Win in Uneventful Encounter

The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the better stanzas.

The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

Parker closed well, but many rounds were hard to judge. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

The victor advances, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.

Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Battle

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester contest to secure the European light-heavyweight title.

The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in September.

It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet gave way to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting within the ring matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.

But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged punishing blows.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over 12 rounds.

Arthur edged the decision with official scores of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and courageous, everything their inspiration the legend represented.