🔗 Share this article

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

The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a close 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.

But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching spoiling the fight.

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

"It wasn't my best showing but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.

The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.

Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight career.

Buatsi Earns Victory in Dull Match

The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.

Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.

He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a calculated early stages.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner periods.

The audience's tolerance decreased amid regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.

The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.

Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Battle

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry battle to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.

The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who died aged 46 in last month.

It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The action within the ring matched the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a left hook directly to the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured early, heavy swelling appearing under his eye as the fighters traded powerful shots.

The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.

The victor edged the result with official scores of draw, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their idol the legend represented.