British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, 31, merited the victory but the contender suffered the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Triumph in Dull Encounter
Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the better rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin during frequent holding, with Parker going down multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry contest to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the quiet transitioned to a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch directly to the jaw in the second round, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the pair landed punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the verdict with judges scorecards of draw, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their hero Hatton represented.
