British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling single shots in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching marring the contest.
The officials scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the spectators.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Triumph in Dull Affair
His career development has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a cagey early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to edge the better rounds.
The audience's tolerance decreased amid regular grabbing, with Parker going down multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester contest to capture the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena grew hushed for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring reflected the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the jaw in the second round, rising shakily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising developing under his eye as the pair landed hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor barely secured the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their inspiration the legend represented.
