British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the contest.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, 31, deserved the victory but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Slow Encounter
Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - possibly in what appears to be a last chance - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to edge the cleaner periods.
The audience's tolerance diminished amid frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during clinches.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to win the continental title.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute prior to the bout as 10 bells sounded in remembrance of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness became a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes reflected the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were relentless and brave, everything their inspiration the legend stood for.
