British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching spoiling the contest.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Various analysts thought the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the win but the contender experienced the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Slow Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to take risks in a tentative early stages.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner periods.
The audience's tolerance diminished amid regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.
The victor advances, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry fight to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The stadium became quiet for a deeply poignant homage before the fight as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet became a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the pair landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the result with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, everything their hero the legend stood for.
