ZACH PARKER was robbed of a career-best win against Olympic bronze winner Josh Buatsi by sickening judging.
The 31-year-old Derby lad was supposed to move up to light-heavyweight and struggle against the 32-year-old Londoner.
But – backed by the underrated Black Country Boxing gym – he put on a clinic and had everyone in Manchester and on the broadcast expecting a clear win.
Pundit Carl Frampton gave Buatsi ONE round of the ten but the judges scored it: 95-95, 96-94 and 96-94 in pitiful night for judging.
Parker fell to his knees in the opener but only after a slip, then both men traded stiff jabs and had a brief wrestle.
Then a beautiful jab-lead-uppercut combo knocked the gumshield out of Buatsi’s mouth.
Parker switched stances in the second but looked better in his usual orthodox stance.
Buatsi made him work and miss and he countered but it remained a tense contest.
Olympic 2016 bronze winner Buatsi waited too long to counter for almost all of the third, Parker was allowed to fire first and occasionally land.
Underdog Parker kept scoring to the body in the fourth and a couple of whipped right hands around Buatsi’s ear’ole.
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Buatsi was being made to look amateur by the fifth, legendary trainer Virgil Hunter could not guide his man in the right direction at all, Parker was slipping and sliding with ease.
Buatsi’s granite shin showed no sign of cracking but it was getting constantly tagged as Parker schooled him from all angles.
Buatsi’s engine showed some promise in the seventh, with Parker struggling to keep the swarm of punches away from his tattooed frame.
But the Derby lad danced and dipped out of danger throughout the eighth and Buatsi’s corner work before the ninth was flat and uninspired.
Parker’s cheekbones were marked by the ninth and he fell back to the canvas on his knees through exhaustion again,
Buatsi was one-paced and predictable and never showed a sign of tiring but Parker had his number all night long.
And the tenth and final round was another cakewalk for Parker who celebrated on the bell while Buatsi trudged toward a deserved defeat.
But three woeful judges called a travesty and the Manchester arena booed a dismal decision.
Gutted Parker said: “I am fuming, I won it easy. I should be changing my daughter and unborn baby’s life.
“He never won a round or landed a punch on me. I should be the champion. Everyone has eyes, he never landed a clean shot on me.
“I am pi**ed off. It’s a joke.
“I gave him one early round, he couldn’t catch me, I was comfortable.”
