UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a close 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling single shots in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was met by boos from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Dull Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent times through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a solid defense to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The audience's tolerance diminished during frequent holding, with Parker going down various instances during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester contest to secure the continental belt.
The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as 10 bells rang in honor of local hero Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in last month.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the final chime faded, the silence gave way to a chant of "there's just one Hatton".
The competition during the bout matched the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the duo exchanged powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their idol Hatton stood for.
