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UK light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to life under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.

Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.

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

The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts thought Parker, 31, deserved the decision but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.

The Champion Earns Triumph in Dull Affair

The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.

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

He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to edge the more effective periods.

The crowd's patience diminished during regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

Parker closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.

Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Battle

In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight title.

The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.

It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness became a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The action within the ring matched the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook directly to the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.

But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.

The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over the full distance.

Arthur edged the result with official scores of even score, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their hero the legend embodied.