British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output seemingly secured him a majority decision in a close 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, landing some telling single shots in a contest where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
The officials scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor commented in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-match career.
The Champion Claims Win in Slow Match
His career development has plateaued in recent years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the future of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to be aggressive in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor several times during clinches.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the face in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising developing under his face as the fighters landed powerful shots.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the result with official scores of draw, 115-113 and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and brave, everything their inspiration Hatton stood for.
