Joshua Buatsi escaped with a majority-decision win against Zach Parker over 10 forgettable rounds in Manchester, although the 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist looked miles short of challenging the elite of the light heavyweight division
Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs) came into the fight on the back of first career defeat in his fight-of-the-year contender against Callum Smith in February. Smith, who was ringside on Saturday night, has not fought since. As the often torpid action unfolded, it was hard not to wonder how much Buatsi had left in the ring they shared in Riyadh.
Former British super middleweight champion Parker (26-2, 18 KOs) boxed elusively off the back foot and spoiled whenever possible - tactics that extended to irritatingly falling and slipping to the canvas several times. But it should have been enough to get the job done against a lacklustre Buatsi, who struggled for rhythm and intensity all evening.
A bout that never looked in danger of ending before the 10-round distance was scored 95-95 by one judge, with the other two finding 96-94 for Buatsi. From ringside, AllSportsPeople scored the fight to Parker by the same margin.
WATCH: Buatsi vs. Parker exclusively on DAZN
Parker started well, landing the jab and matching Buatsi in the exchanges. The Londoner got home a couple of nice left leads at the start of round two, causing Parker to paw at his nose. Back came the Derby man with a left hook. There was pleasing variety and levels to Parker's work as he went to the body effectively.
Buatsi had his best round to date in the fourth, but was still operating at an overly methodical pace and restricting himself to single shots. It was having some effect, though, as Parker operated on the back foot for much of the fifth, looking to potshot. When the action returned to centre ring, Buasti found a meaty right uppercut to the stomach.
A left hook downstairs in the seventh caused Parker to back up and gasp for air, although Buatsi was still letting too much of the action drift. It meant Parker could fight and spoil on his own terms — not pretty but enough to bank a problematic number of rounds for anyone in the Buatsi business.
With the bout up for grabs in the final session, it was telling that the soundtrack in the area was chatter rather than roars. Plenty of the locals had decided to go home after the thriller Bradley Rea and Lyndon Arthur served up in the chief support.
Queensberry/Leigh Dawney
Who won Lyndon Arthur vs. Bradley Rea?
In the chief support, Lyndon Arthur recovered from a heavy second-round knockdown to earn a majority decision over European light heavyweight champion Bradley Rea over 12 rounds.
The Manchester derby between City fan Rea and United supporter Arthur caught fire when the former world-title challenger fell short with a right hand and was caught by a stinging combination that finished on the left hook.
The bell arguably saved Arthur at the end of the second and Rea looked to have him going again in the fourth, but from that point, the older man settled into a rhythm behind his educated jab and peppered the champion with right uppercuts on the inside.
One judge scored the bout 114-114 even, but the other two found in Arthur's favour by margins of 115-113 and 115-112. AllSportsPeople had it 116-111 to Arthur.
MORE: Joshua Buatsi vs. Zach Parker prediction, odds and best bets
Joshua Buatsi vs. Zach Parker main card results
- Joshua Buatsi def. Zach Parker (MD 10); Light Heavyweights
- Lyndon Arthur def. Bradley Rea (c) (MD 12) to win the European light heavyweight title
- Liam Cameron def. Troy Jones (UD 10); Light Heavyweights
- Khaleel Majid vs. David Ryan; Super Lightweights
- Billy Deniz def. Ezra Arenyeka (PTS 8); Light Heavyweights
- Stephen Clarke def. Jose Aguirre (PTS 6); Middleweights
- Leighton Birchall def. Wilbert Panttin (PTS 4); Super Bantamweights
- John Tom Varey def. Brandon Gallardo Vargas (PTS 4); Super Flyweights
- Luke Prior def. Eduardo Vera Sanchez (PTS 4); Welterweights
- Bradley Casey def. Antonio Borovina (KO 1/4); Heavyweights
- Leon Hughes def. Pavol Garaj (PTS 4); Light Heavyweights
- Jermaine Dhilwayo def. Cesar Ignacio Paredes (PTS 4); Super Featherweights
Joshua Buatsi vs. Zach Parker start time
- Date: Saturday, November 1
- Start time: 5 p.m. BST
- Main event start time (approx.): 10:30 p.m. BST
- Location: Co-op Live - Manchester
Joshua Buatsi vs. Zach Parker tune-in info
- Live Stream: DAZN
- PPV Price: £24.99 (UK)/ $59.99 (US)
The Joshua Buatsi vs. Zach Parker fight card will be available globally via DAZN
A DAZN monthly subscription in the US is $19.99 on a 12-month contract or $29.99 month-to-month in the United States. The annual subscription is $224.99.
In the UK, a monthly subscription costs £9.99 on a 12-month contract or £19.99 month-to-month. An annual subscription will cost £99.99.