British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker found success, delivering effective clean blows in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the spectators.
The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, 31, merited the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-match career.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
His career development has stalled in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the next star of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to edge the better rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased amid frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester battle to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant homage before the fight as ten bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime disappeared, the quiet became a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting during the bout equaled the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged early, noticeable damage forming under his face as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol the legend embodied.
