UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming beginning to life under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful individual punches in a contest where the styles failed to mesh, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
The officials had it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best performance but what defines champions? They win," the victor said in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Slow Affair
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with Parker going down multiple occasions during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Motivates All-Manchester Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a extremely emotional tribute prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in honor of the city's native Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell faded, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook directly to the face in the early round, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, noticeable damage forming under his face as the fighters exchanged hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton represented.
