British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive start to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful single shots in a match where the styles failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
The officials had it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but what do champions do? They win," the victor said in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Affair
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent times through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the next star of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the more effective stanzas.
The audience's tolerance decreased because of regular grabbing, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during clinches.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in memory of local hero Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.
It was the premier televised match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness became a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the fighters traded punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with official scores of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton embodied.
