UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing beginning to life under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a close ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest showing but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor stated in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th career victory.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Slow Match
His career development has slowed in the past few years through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the future of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the better rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid frequent holding, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry fight to win the European light heavyweight championship.
The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in honor of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook squarely on the face in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the duo landed hard punches.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and brave, exactly what their idol Hatton stood for.
