UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a split decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest display but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by disapproval from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Dull Affair
His career development has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - possibly in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to narrowly win the better stanzas.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of frequent holding, with the challenger going down various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry contest to win the European light heavyweight belt.
The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the stillness became a roar of "there's just one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured soon, significant bruising appearing under his orbital area as the pair traded punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor edged the result with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and brave, everything their idol Hatton stood for.
