British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But Parker landed significant shots, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing marring the contest.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best showing but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Secures Victory in Slow Affair
His career development has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to be aggressive in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the better stanzas.
The audience's tolerance diminished because of regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during grappling.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester battle to secure the European light heavyweight belt.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the quiet became a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged early, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the fighters traded hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor barely secured the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton stood for.
