UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive 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 tight 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching spoiling the action.
The officials had it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, merited the victory but the contender endured the second loss of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Earns Triumph in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to edge the cleaner rounds.
The crowd's patience decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Although, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the final chime disappeared, the silence gave way to a chant of "only one Hatton".
The competition during the bout reflected the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up early, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the fighters landed punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, everything their idol the legend embodied.
