UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding spoiling the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor stated in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the spectators.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Claims Win in Slow Affair
His career development has stalled in recent years through management issues and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance decreased during frequent holding, with Parker going down multiple occasions during grappling.
Parker ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Fight
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent all-Manchester contest to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The stadium grew hushed for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as 10 bells sounded in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the traditional red attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured soon, heavy swelling forming under his eye as the duo exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace seldom decreased over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, exactly what their idol Hatton embodied.
