British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective individual punches in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the action.
The officials scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They win," the victor commented in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to secure a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the contender experienced the second loss of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to overcommit in a tentative opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the better periods.
The crowd's patience diminished because of frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester contest to win the European light heavyweight belt.
The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as 10 bells sounded in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the final chime faded, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a significant blow flush on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.
But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace seldom decreased over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with official scores of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but the two athletes were relentless and courageous, all the qualities their hero Hatton embodied.
