British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive start to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round fight at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the contest.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was met by negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th pro success.
Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, merited the decision but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Dull Affair
His career development has stalled in the past few years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of British boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a tentative early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.
Parker ended stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Fuels All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the continental belt.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the silence became a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action during the bout equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling appearing under his face as the fighters exchanged hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
The victor narrowly won the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, everything their idol Hatton embodied.
