British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming start to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
The officials had it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Claims Win in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a calculated opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the better stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Tribute Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to secure the continental title.
The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the quiet gave way to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured early, heavy swelling developing under his face as the fighters landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the action seldom decreased over the full distance.
The victor edged the verdict with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and courageous, everything their hero Hatton represented.
