UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, delivering effective single shots in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the fight.
The officials had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Various analysts thought Parker, 31, merited the victory but the British boxer experienced the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Slow Affair
His career development has slowed in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - possibly in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter ready to overcommit in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor several times during clinches.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the continental belt.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as ten bells sounded in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the quiet gave way to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a left hook squarely on the chin in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured early, noticeable damage developing under his face as the duo traded powerful shots.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the result with official scores of 114-114, narrow lead and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and brave, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton embodied.
