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British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a close ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But Parker had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.

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

"It wasn't my best showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor said in the ringside as he was faced boos from the spectators.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.

Various analysts thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Earns Win in Slow Encounter

Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.

He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.

By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective rounds.

The crowd's patience diminished because of regular grabbing, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during clinches.

Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.

The victor progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still looks steep.

Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Contest

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the continental title.

The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute before the fight as 10 bells sounded in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.

It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime disappeared, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting within the ring matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook squarely on the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.

But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the duo exchanged punishing blows.

The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.

The victor edged the result with official scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-112, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.