UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming beginning to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a close 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the action.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was met by boos from the crowd.
The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Claims Victory in Uneventful Encounter
His career development has slowed in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished during frequent holding, with Parker going down multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Fight
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry battle to win the European light heavyweight championship.
The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony sounded in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the final chime disappeared, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition during the bout matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch flush on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the eight count.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the duo traded hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, all the qualities their hero the legend represented.
