British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the styles never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the action.
The officials judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was faced boos from the spectators.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, deserved the win but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Earns Victory in Uneventful Match
His career development has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to edge the better stanzas.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Local Rivalry Fight
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry contest to capture the continental belt.
The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as ten bells rang in remembrance of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook directly to the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.
But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up soon, significant bruising forming under his face as the duo traded powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the verdict with official scores of draw, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.
