UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level appeared to earn him a split decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching spoiling the contest.
The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor stated in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Slow Affair
His career development has slowed in recent times through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight championship.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness became a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition during the bout equaled the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling developing under his face as the pair traded punishing blows.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor barely secured the decision with official scores of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.
