British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching disrupting the fight.
The officials judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts believed Parker, 31, deserved the win but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second setback of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Earns Win in Slow Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to edge the more effective stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during clinches.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry fight to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died 46 years old in last month.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the silence gave way to a roar of "only one Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow squarely on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair landed hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the decision with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and courageous, everything their inspiration Hatton embodied.
