British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing debut to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my best showing but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Triumph in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid regular grabbing, with Parker going down several times during clinches.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light-heavyweight belt.
The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in remembrance of local hero Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness became a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The action within the ring equaled the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow flush on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the referee's count.
But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the pair traded hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol Hatton represented.
