British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round fight at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.
The officials judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest performance but how do champions respond? They win," the victor said in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, 31, merited the win but the British boxer suffered the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Dull Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the future of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter ready to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the better stanzas.
The crowd's patience wore thin during frequent holding, with Parker going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.
The underdog closed well, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to win the continental belt.
The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in honor of local hero Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in September.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the quiet became a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook squarely on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.
But the traditional red attire of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged early, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with judges scorecards of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and brave, everything their inspiration the legend represented.
