British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.
The officials judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor said in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Various analysts felt the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Secures Victory in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has stalled in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to edge the more effective periods.
The audience's tolerance decreased because of regular grabbing, with Parker going down various instances during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry contest to win the European light heavyweight championship.
The arena became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who died aged 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the silence gave way to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring matched the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up soon, noticeable damage forming under his face as the duo traded powerful shots.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, exactly what their hero the legend represented.
