UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a tight 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.
Two judges scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts believed Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Affair
His career development has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers ready to be aggressive in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner periods.
The audience's tolerance wore thin because of constant clinching, with the challenger going down several times during close exchanges.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry battle to secure the European light-heavyweight title.
The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the pair landed powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the verdict with official scores of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but each competitor were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their inspiration the legend stood for.
