UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the action.
Two judges had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They win," the victor stated in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th pro success.
Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Earns Victory in Slow Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the better rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin during constant clinching, with Parker going down several times during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Fight
In the supporting bout, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester contest to secure the continental title.
The arena fell silent for a deeply poignant homage ahead of the contest as 10 bells rang in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet became a roar of "only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch flush on the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged soon, significant bruising appearing under his face as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with judges scorecards of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton stood for.
