British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight ten-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective clean blows in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.
The officials had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was met by negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts felt Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Uneventful Encounter
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent times through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand during the bout, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished amid frequent holding, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to secure the continental belt.
The arena grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as ten bells sounded in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the quiet gave way to a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the count of eight.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising appearing under his face as the fighters landed powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the result with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton embodied.
