British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They win," the victor said in the arena as he was met by negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Earns Win in Dull Encounter
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent times through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance diminished because of constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry fight to win the European light heavyweight title.
The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence transitioned to a chant of "there's just one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the second round, rising shakily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured early, significant bruising developing under his face as the pair exchanged hard punches.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of draw, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and courageous, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.
