British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching spoiling the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th career victory.
Various analysts believed Parker, 31, merited the victory but the contender experienced the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin during constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry battle to secure the continental title.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in memory of the city's native Hatton, who died at age 46 in September.
It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the silence became a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring matched the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up early, significant bruising appearing under his orbital area as the duo exchanged hard punches.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the decision with judges scorecards of draw, close margin and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, everything their idol Hatton embodied.
