British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, connecting with powerful single shots in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced boos from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts thought the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the British boxer experienced the second defeat of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Claims Win in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter ready to overcommit in a tentative opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the better stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished amid constant clinching, with the challenger going down several times during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry contest to win the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the stillness transitioned to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured soon, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair landed hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the decision with official scores of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were relentless and brave, everything their idol Hatton stood for.
