British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive start to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the styles never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Earns Win in Uneventful Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed in the past few years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of constant clinching, with the challenger going down several times during clinches.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to capture the continental belt.
The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness became a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow squarely on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage appearing under his orbital area as the duo exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but each competitor were determined and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration the legend embodied.
