UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.
The officials judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best showing but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi said in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second loss of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Earns Victory in Dull Encounter
His career development has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with Parker going down several times during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The arena grew hushed for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured soon, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the decision with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and brave, all the qualities their hero Hatton represented.
