UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor stated in the arena as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the contender endured the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Dull Encounter
His career development has stalled in recent times through management issues and considerable time 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 both competitors willing to take risks in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to edge the more effective periods.
The audience's tolerance decreased because of regular grabbing, with Parker going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry fight to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in memory of local hero Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet gave way to a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising developing under his eye as the pair landed punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor edged the verdict with official scores of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.
