UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive debut to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, delivering effective individual punches in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with frequent clinching marring the contest.
The officials scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They win," the victor stated in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to secure a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Earns Win in Dull Encounter
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.
The audience's tolerance wore thin because of frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.
The venue grew hushed for a deeply poignant tribute before the fight as 10 bells tolled in memory of local hero Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch flush on the face in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage developing under his face as the fighters traded powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of draw, 115-113 and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and brave, all the qualities their idol the legend stood for.
