British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a split decision in a tight ten-round fight at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the styles failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor stated in the ring as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, deserved the win but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Slow Encounter
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through management issues and long spells of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He started carefully, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the European light heavyweight championship.
The arena became quiet for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime disappeared, the quiet gave way to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting during the bout equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, significant bruising forming under his face as the pair exchanged hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over the full distance.
The victor barely secured the decision with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were relentless and brave, exactly what their hero the legend represented.
