British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the contender endured the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Slow Encounter
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to be aggressive in a cagey early stages.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the better rounds.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of regular grabbing, with the challenger going down various instances during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Inspires Local Rivalry Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet became a roar of "only one Hatton".
The competition during the bout matched the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising developing under his eye as the fighters landed hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and courageous, all the qualities their hero the legend embodied.
