UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a majority decision in a tight ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Dull Encounter
His career development has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the more effective periods.
The spectators' acceptance diminished because of constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light-heavyweight title.
The venue grew hushed for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence became a chant of "there's just one Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook flush on the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the eight count.
But the traditional red attire of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling developing under his face as the pair traded hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, everything their hero the legend stood for.
