British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker found success, delivering effective clean blows in a fight where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor stated in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers felt Parker, thirty-one, merited the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Match
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a tentative opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was participating in his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid regular grabbing, with the challenger going down several times during clinches.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Fight
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.
The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in honor of the city's native Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in September.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the quiet gave way to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The competition during the bout matched the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook squarely on the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured soon, heavy swelling appearing under his face as the fighters traded powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with official scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton embodied.
