UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a majority decision in a tight 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching marring the action.
The officials judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best display but what defines champions? They prevail," the victor stated in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Various analysts thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Earns Triumph in Slow Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through management issues and long spells of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to edge the more effective rounds.
The crowd's patience decreased during regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Fight
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the continental belt.
The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the stillness transitioned to a chant of "only one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the duo traded powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over the full distance.
The victor barely secured the result with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration the legend represented.
