British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a tight 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching spoiling the action.
Two judges had it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor stated in the ring as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Slow Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - possibly in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin during constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight title.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of local hero Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the stillness gave way to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes reflected the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up early, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the duo traded hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, exactly what their inspiration Hatton stood for.
