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UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.

But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.

The scoring judges had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a even score.

"It wasn't my greatest performance but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the audience.

The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.

Some ringside observers thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-bout career.

The Champion Secures Win in Uneventful Encounter

The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.

He began cautiously, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a tentative early stages.

The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second fight at light-heavyweight.

By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to edge the more effective stanzas.

The audience's tolerance decreased during frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.

Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.

The victor progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Fight

In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.

The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.

It was the premier televised fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".

The fighting inside the ropes matched the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his feet on the eight count.

But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the pair traded hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

The victor narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of draw, 115-113 and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and brave, exactly what their inspiration the legend represented.