British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to his career under recent management with a decision win over Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor commented in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the spectators.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.
Various analysts thought the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Affair
His career development has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the better stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance diminished during constant clinching, with Parker going down various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Tribute Inspires Manchester Derby Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the continental belt.
The arena grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as ten bells sounded in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet became a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring matched the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch flush on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, everything their inspiration the legend embodied.
