Joshua Buatsi got his slow-burning career moving in the right direction again after escaping with a debatable majority points decision win over Zach Parker Saturday night.
Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs), 32, triumphed by scores of 95-95, 96-94 and 96-94 over his English light heavyweight rival at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, but fans booed the decision.
"It wasn't my best performance, but what do champions do? They win, and I'm grateful for that," Buatsi said.
"They said who ever wins this will be in a good position, so we will see what happens next."
After losing on points to former super middleweight champion Callum Smith in February, Buatsi looked flat and was frustrated by Parker's jab, movement and holding.
Parker (26-2, 18 KOs) faded late on but his work rate seemed superior to Buatsi and enough to earn him victory. The scores were a surprise, but saved Buatsi from suffering a second successive defeat.
Parker felt he won the fight comfortably.
"I won that fight easy, I literally won every round and should be going on to bigger fights," Parker told DAZN, while close to tears.
"He couldn't land a clean shot on me. I'm trying to change my daughter's life and I get decisions like that."
Buatsi, an Olympic bronze medallist in 2016 who has yet to challenge for a world title, avoided defeat in his first fight since signing for Queensberry Promotions, and stays in contention to face the winner of WBC champion David Benavidez's contest with Anthony Yarde on Nov. 22.
Parker, 31, from Derbyshire, went into the fight after winning his last four and began confidently as he boxed well behind his jab. Buatsi, 32, from south London, was less aggressive with his jab in the opening rounds and got caught by some right hooks in Round 4.
Buatsi failed to establish any authority in the first half of the fight as he struggled with Parker's movement in and out of range. Buatsi, who trains with Virgil Hunter in California, continued to lack urgency in the later rounds, allowing Parker to outwork him. Parker smothered Buatsi's work with clinches when they got close, which left Buatsi frustrated in Round 8 and the Londoner never looked like producing a stoppage late on.
But two of the judges preferred Buatsi's work, which left Parker's team baffled.
Arthur gets up to defeat Rea
Lyndon Arthur recovered from being floored in Round 2 by a left hook from Bradley Rea (21-1, 10 KOs) to win a majority points decision and capture the European light heavyweight title.
Arthur, who was beaten by division No. 1 Dmitry Bivol for the WBA world title on points two years ago, was left in serious trouble after taking a count, but he survived to then control the second half of the fight. Arthur, 34, from Manchester, battled back from a losing position to earn scores of 114-114, 115-113, 115-112, which was just what his career needed following a points loss to Yarde in April.