British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive debut to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Earns Win in Slow Match
His career development has plateaued in recent years through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker going down various instances during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Inspires All-Manchester Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding all-Manchester contest to secure the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in honor of local hero Hatton, who died 46 years old in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell faded, the stillness became a roar of "only one Hatton".
The action during the bout equaled the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the fighters landed hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the result with official scores of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton stood for.
