UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a split decision in a close 10-round fight at the boxing arena.
But Parker had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a match where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
The officials had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best display but what defines champions? They prevail," the victor commented in the ringside as he was faced boos from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Dull Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a calculated opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the better stanzas.
The audience's tolerance diminished amid regular grabbing, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during clinches.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Inspires Local Rivalry Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry fight to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.
The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as 10 bells rang in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the silence gave way to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up early, significant bruising forming under his eye as the fighters landed hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and brave, exactly what their idol Hatton stood for.
