British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming beginning to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a split decision in a close 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the fight.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was faced boos from the audience.
The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid frequent holding, with Parker going down several times during grappling.
The underdog finished the stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a excellent local rivalry fight to capture the European light heavyweight belt.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as ten bells tolled in remembrance of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell faded, the stillness transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes matched the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch directly to the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured early, noticeable damage forming under his face as the duo landed punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
Arthur barely secured the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, 115-113 and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their inspiration the legend embodied.
