UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive beginning to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a close ten-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the styles failed to mesh, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Uneventful Match
His career development has slowed in recent years through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the better periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester battle to secure the continental championship.
The venue became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as ten bells sounded in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the stillness became a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting during the bout equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged early, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the fighters landed hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their hero the legend represented.
