UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker found success, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with excessive holding spoiling the action.
Two judges had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Uneventful Affair
His career development has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the better rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased amid regular grabbing, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Inspires Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester contest to capture the European light-heavyweight title.
The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell faded, the quiet became a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up soon, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the fighters traded powerful shots.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of draw, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton embodied.
