UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the styles failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the contest.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest performance but how do champions respond? They win," the victor stated in the ring as he was met by boos from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Various analysts thought Parker, 31, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Win in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in the past few years through management issues and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He started carefully, with both competitors willing to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the more effective periods.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Local Rivalry Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester contest to secure the continental belt.
The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial prior to the bout as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime ended, the stillness became a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook squarely on the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, significant bruising developing under his eye as the duo exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of draw, narrow lead and 115-112, but both fighters were persistent and courageous, everything their inspiration the legend embodied.
