British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming beginning to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But Parker had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
Two judges had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was faced boos from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts believed Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Win in Slow Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the future of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a calculated opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid regular grabbing, with the challenger going down several times during grappling.
Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to secure the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout reflected the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage forming under his face as the duo exchanged hard punches.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their inspiration the legend stood for.
