British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
The officials scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers believed Parker, thirty-one, merited the victory but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Triumph in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during grappling.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Fight
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a excellent local rivalry fight to win the continental championship.
The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow flush on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured soon, significant bruising appearing under his face as the fighters landed hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor barely secured the decision with official scores of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and brave, everything their inspiration the legend embodied.
