UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a majority decision in a tight ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, delivering effective single shots in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching marring the action.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to edge the better stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker going down multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific all-Manchester fight to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet gave way to a roar of "only one Hatton".
The action during the bout matched the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the jaw in the initial stage, rising shakily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, noticeable damage developing under his eye as the duo exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur edged the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, 115-113 and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and courageous, everything their hero the legend embodied.
