UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.
The officials judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what defines champions? They win," the victor commented in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Earns Win in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to be aggressive in a tentative opening few rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to narrowly win the cleaner periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin during frequent holding, with the challenger going down various instances during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in honor of the city's native Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured soon, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the pair landed punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with official scores of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.
