UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was greeted with disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts thought Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Secures Victory in Slow Affair
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was competing in only his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the better rounds.
The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with Parker going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Tribute Motivates Local Rivalry Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight belt.
The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the final chime ended, the silence gave way to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a significant blow flush on the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged hard punches.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and full of heart, everything their hero the legend embodied.
