British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the action.
Two judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Match
His career development has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the secondary fight, Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry battle to win the continental belt.
The arena became quiet for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as 10 bells sounded in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The action during the bout equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.
But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the duo exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and wider gap, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, everything their inspiration the legend stood for.
