British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing beginning to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a tight ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the fight.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my best showing but what defines champions? They win," the victor said in the ringside as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in the past few years through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to edge the cleaner periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of regular grabbing, with Parker going down several times during grappling.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor advances, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to secure the continental championship.
The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness gave way to a roar of "only one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the duo landed punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton stood for.
