UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming debut to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a tight ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor said in the ring as he was faced boos from the spectators.
The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Secures Victory in Uneventful Affair
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a tight guard to edge the more effective rounds.
The audience's tolerance decreased during frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to win the continental championship.
The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in honor of local hero Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the silence became a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes matched the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook flush on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling forming under his eye as the pair landed hard punches.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the result with official scores of 114-114, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were relentless and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.
