UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming start to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a close 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
Two judges had it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Secures Win in Slow Encounter
His career development has stalled in recent times through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter ready to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to edge the more effective stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a excellent local rivalry contest to capture the continental title.
The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the last bell ended, the quiet gave way to a shout of "only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch flush on the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the duo exchanged hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with official scores of draw, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton stood for.
