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UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Parker in the Manchester arena.

The Olympic medal winner's activity level appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.

But Parker found success, delivering effective clean blows in a match where the techniques failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.

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

"It wasn't my best showing but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the audience.

The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.

Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second loss of his 28-fight career.

Buatsi Secures Win in Uneventful Match

Buatsi's progress has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and extended periods of lack of fights.

Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with both competitors ready to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.

Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light-heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to edge the better rounds.

The audience's tolerance diminished amid frequent holding, with Parker going down several times during close exchanges.

The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.

The victor advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Homage Fuels All-Manchester Fight

In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to win the continental belt.

The venue became quiet for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.

It was the premier televised match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the silence became a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The competition inside the ropes reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.

But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, noticeable damage forming under his face as the pair traded hard punches.

The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.

Arthur barely secured the verdict with official scores of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and brave, everything their hero Hatton embodied.