British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing start to life under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.
Two judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers believed Parker, 31, merited the win but the contender suffered the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Claims Victory in Slow Encounter
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a last chance - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to edge the more effective periods.
The audience's tolerance decreased because of frequent holding, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry contest to capture the European light-heavyweight championship.
The stadium became quiet for a deeply poignant homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the quiet became a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes reflected the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were relentless and courageous, all the qualities their idol Hatton represented.
