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UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.

The Olympic medal winner's punch output appeared to earn him a split decision in a tight ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.

But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching marring the action.

The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.

"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.

The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.

Various analysts thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-match career.

The Champion Earns Victory in Slow Match

Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.

Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.

He started carefully, with the two boxers prepared to be aggressive in a calculated opening few rounds.

The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.

By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the better rounds.

The audience's tolerance wore thin amid regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.

Parker ended stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.

The victor moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.

Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Fight

In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent local rivalry contest to secure the European light heavyweight belt.

The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died 46 years old in recently.

It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the quiet became a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".

The action within the ring equaled the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his feet on the count of eight.

But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling forming under his eye as the pair traded powerful shots.

Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.

The victor narrowly won the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their hero the legend stood for.