British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive beginning to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching marring the action.
The officials scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the crowd.
The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Dull Match
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with both competitors prepared to be aggressive in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to edge the cleaner stanzas.
The crowd's patience wore thin during frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Although, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells rang in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised 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 within the ring reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured soon, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of draw, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration the legend stood for.
