British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive debut to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a majority decision in a tight ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best showing but what defines champions? They prevail," the victor stated in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers believed Parker, thirty-one, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Claims Victory in Slow Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to edge the more effective stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin during constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died 46 years old in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the stillness became a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch directly to the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with official scores of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their hero Hatton represented.
