British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming beginning to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
Two judges had it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my finest performance but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Uneventful Affair
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent times through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the continental title.
The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute prior to the bout as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the face in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the eight count.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, heavy swelling forming under his eye as the duo traded punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their hero the legend represented.
