UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They win," the victor commented in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th career victory.
Various analysts believed Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the better stanzas.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with Parker going down multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were difficult to score. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to win the European light heavyweight belt.
The stadium became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the silence became a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, noticeable damage appearing under his face as the fighters landed hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the action seldom decreased over the full distance.
Arthur edged the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.
