British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
The officials judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor commented in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers felt the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Win in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to edge the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished during frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to secure the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness gave way to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured soon, significant bruising forming under his face as the pair traded powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their hero Hatton represented.
