UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor stated in the arena as he was faced boos from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer experienced the second defeat of his 28-match career.
The Champion Claims Victory in Dull Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to take risks in a calculated opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to edge the more effective rounds.
The crowd's patience decreased amid constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry contest to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in September.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness became a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the pair traded hard punches.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with official scores of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and brave, all the qualities their inspiration the legend embodied.
