British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective individual punches in a match where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the contest.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer experienced the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Dull Affair
Buatsi's progress has slowed in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the next star of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to edge the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a excellent all-Manchester contest to win the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena became quiet for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his face as the fighters landed powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the result with judges scorecards of draw, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration the legend represented.
