UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a tight ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the fight.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor stated in the ring as he was met by boos from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, merited the victory but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Uneventful Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of constant clinching, with Parker going down multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to capture the continental championship.
The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional homage ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime faded, the silence gave way to a chant of "only one Hatton".
The action within the ring matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch flush on the jaw in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, noticeable damage forming under his face as the fighters landed hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the action hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor edged the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton represented.
