British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing start to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a close 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts felt Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Slow Match
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the better stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid regular grabbing, with the challenger going down several times during clinches.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Inspires Local Rivalry Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to win the European light-heavyweight belt.
The stadium became quiet for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised match card in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound faded, the quiet became a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his face as the fighters traded hard punches.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and courageous, exactly what their hero the legend represented.
