British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a close 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They win," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the win but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Earns Win in Dull Match
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to barely take the more effective rounds.
The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during grappling.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Fuels All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the continental title.
The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as ten bells sounded in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the jaw in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the duo traded punishing blows.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the result with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and full of heart, everything their inspiration Hatton stood for.
