UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my finest showing but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was met by boos from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Earns Win in Dull Affair
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to take risks in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to edge the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience decreased amid frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific all-Manchester contest to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial prior to the bout as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell faded, the stillness became a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring reflected the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch directly to the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and brave, exactly what their idol Hatton stood for.
