UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a majority decision in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the action.
Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to edge the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent local rivalry contest to secure the continental belt.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in September.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime ended, the stillness became a chant of "only one Hatton".
The competition during the bout equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the pair landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their idol the legend embodied.
