UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level appeared to earn him a split decision in a tight ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the contest.
The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor stated in the ringside as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, merited the victory but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Dull Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the better rounds.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin during regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Homage Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester contest to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.
The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as ten bells tolled in honor of the city's native Hatton, who died aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the final chime ended, the stillness transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook directly to the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.
But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising forming under his face as the fighters traded punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur edged the decision with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, everything their inspiration the legend embodied.
