UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best showing but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts thought Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Claims Win in Dull Affair
His career development has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
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 last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was participating in his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a solid defense to narrowly win the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor progresses, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to secure the European light heavyweight belt.
The venue fell silent for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as 10 bells rang in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who died 46 years old in last month.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime faded, the silence gave way to a roar of "only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the pair exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with scoring tallies of even score, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, everything their idol the legend represented.
