British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing beginning to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was faced boos from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts thought the challenger, 31, merited the victory but the British boxer suffered the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He started carefully, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased amid regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony tolled in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage appearing under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the result with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.
