UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing beginning to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level appeared to earn him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th career victory.
Various analysts felt the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-match career.
The Champion Secures Win in Dull Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He started carefully, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to edge the better stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet gave way to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition during the bout matched the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow flush on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the eight count.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage forming under his eye as the duo landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton stood for.
