UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching marring the contest.
The officials judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They prevail," the victor commented in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts believed the challenger, 31, merited the win but the British boxer experienced the second defeat of his 28-match career.
The Champion Earns Victory in Dull Affair
His career development has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to edge the cleaner periods.
The spectators' acceptance decreased amid constant clinching, with the challenger going down various instances during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester fight to capture the European light-heavyweight championship.
The stadium grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in honor of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the stillness gave way to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The action during the bout reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured soon, noticeable damage developing under his eye as the duo landed powerful shots.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with judges scorecards of draw, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and courageous, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.
