UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming beginning to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a tight ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching disrupting the fight.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best performance but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts thought the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Secures Triumph in Slow Affair
His career development has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during clinches.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester contest to capture the continental title.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet became a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook directly to the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the verdict with judges scorecards of draw, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, exactly what their hero the legend embodied.
