UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive beginning 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 appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful individual punches in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
Two judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was met by boos from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts believed Parker, 31, deserved the decision but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Triumph in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a tight guard to edge the better rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during clinches.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Fuels All-Manchester Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the continental belt.
The arena grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells rang in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch directly to the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the duo landed punishing blows.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the decision with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and brave, exactly what their idol Hatton represented.
