British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the British boxer experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Earns Win in Slow Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with both competitors ready to take risks in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished during regular grabbing, with Parker going down several times during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the continental belt.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in last month.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence became a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch directly to the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured soon, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the pair exchanged hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton represented.
