British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by boos from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the contender suffered the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Claims Win in Slow Match
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to edge the more effective periods.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to win the continental belt.
The venue grew hushed for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of the city's native Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition during the bout matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch flush on the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and brave, everything their inspiration the legend represented.
