UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing 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 judges' verdict in a close ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the action.
The officials judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was met by boos from the crowd.
The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, merited the decision but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Triumph in Dull Affair
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished amid constant clinching, with the challenger going down various instances during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to secure the European light heavyweight championship.
The arena grew hushed for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who died 46 years old in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Hatton".
The competition during the bout reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook directly to the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the traditional red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged early, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the duo exchanged powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their idol the legend stood for.
