UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round fight at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced boos from the spectators.
The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second loss of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to be aggressive in a cagey opening few rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the more effective stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished amid constant clinching, with the challenger going down several times during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry contest to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in last month.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising developing under his eye as the duo landed hard punches.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and courageous, everything their idol the legend embodied.
