🔗 Share this article

British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing debut to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger found success, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the action.

The officials judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.

"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor commented in the arena as he was faced 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 twentieth professional win.

Several boxing experts believed the challenger, 31, merited the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.

Buatsi Secures Win in Slow Affair

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

Earlier forecast as the future of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.

He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to be aggressive in a cagey initial rounds.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.

By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the better stanzas.

The spectators' acceptance diminished amid frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during close exchanges.

Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.

Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Fight

In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to secure the continental championship.

The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute prior to the bout as 10 bells rang in remembrance of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.

It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The action during the bout equaled the emotion. Arthur 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 Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged soon, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.

Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur edged the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, everything their hero Hatton stood for.