UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But Parker had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching marring the contest.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts thought the challenger, 31, deserved the win but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Dull Encounter
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner periods.
The audience's tolerance diminished during regular grabbing, with the challenger going down various instances during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight championship.
The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime ended, the stillness gave way to a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout matched the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage forming under his eye as the fighters traded powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the result with scoring tallies of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their idol Hatton stood for.
