British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to life under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a majority decision in a tight 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing marring the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my finest showing but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ring as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, 31, deserved the victory but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Claims Victory in Dull Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to edge the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid frequent holding, with Parker going down various instances during clinches.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a terrific all-Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight title.
The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in memory of local hero Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the silence gave way to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured soon, noticeable damage appearing under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, everything their idol Hatton embodied.
