UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive start to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling single shots in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the contest.
The officials scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but what defines champions? They prevail," the victor stated in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, 31, merited the win but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Uneventful Affair
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to take risks in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during clinches.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Tribute Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry battle to win the European light heavyweight belt.
The venue became quiet for a deeply poignant homage ahead of the contest as ten bells sounded in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the silence became a chant of "only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook directly to the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling appearing under his eye as the pair exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the result with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton represented.
