UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive ten-round fight at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor stated in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers felt Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to barely take the cleaner rounds.
The crowd's patience diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry fight to win the continental championship.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in honor of the city's native Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the silence gave way to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition during the bout equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow directly to the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured soon, significant bruising appearing under his orbital area as the fighters traded powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, exactly what their idol Hatton embodied.
