British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker had his moments, delivering effective clean blows in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the action.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the victory but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Secures Victory in Dull Encounter
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to be aggressive in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the better periods.
The audience's tolerance decreased because of constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels All-Manchester Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry battle to capture the continental championship.
The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells rang in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the premier televised match card in the location since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the stillness gave way to a roar of "there's just one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the fighters landed punishing blows.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the verdict with official scores of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and brave, everything their inspiration Hatton embodied.
