UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming start to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed Parker, 31, deserved the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Dull Encounter
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the more effective stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance diminished because of constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Inspires All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester contest to win the continental belt.
The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of local hero Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the final chime faded, the silence became a chant of "there's just one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage appearing under his face as the duo traded powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and full of heart, exactly what their inspiration the legend represented.
