British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a close 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Match
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance diminished because of constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Tribute Fuels All-Manchester Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to win the European light-heavyweight championship.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell disappeared, the silence gave way to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes reflected the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the face in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged early, noticeable damage appearing under his orbital area as the fighters landed punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the result with official scores of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, everything their inspiration the legend stood for.
