UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a split decision in a tight ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was greeted with disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th pro success.
Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Earns Win in Slow Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed 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 achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a cagey early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the better periods.
The audience's tolerance decreased during frequent holding, with the challenger going down several times during grappling.
Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Local Rivalry Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the stillness gave way to a roar of "only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow flush on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the fighters traded hard punches.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of draw, narrow lead and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and brave, exactly what their idol the legend embodied.
