UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with frequent clinching spoiling the fight.
Two judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
Buatsi Claims Victory in Dull Encounter
Buatsi's progress has stalled in the past few years through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the better periods.
The crowd's patience diminished amid regular grabbing, with the challenger going down several times during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a excellent local rivalry fight to win the European light heavyweight championship.
The venue became quiet for a extremely emotional tribute prior to the bout as 10 bells rang in memory of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness became a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes reflected the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a left hook flush on the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the decision with official scores of draw, narrow lead and 115-112, but each competitor were relentless and full of heart, everything their hero the legend represented.
