UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a majority decision in a close ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest performance but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Secures Victory in Slow Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the better stanzas.
The audience's tolerance wore thin because of constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester fight to capture the continental belt.
The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial prior to the bout as ten bells rang in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the quiet gave way to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes reflected the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the duo exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and courageous, everything their inspiration the legend embodied.
