UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, delivering effective clean blows in a match where the styles failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They prevail," the victor commented in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Claims Triumph in Uneventful Affair
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a tentative opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to edge the better rounds.
The crowd's patience decreased during constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Battle
In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester contest to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The arena fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as ten bells rang in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the final chime faded, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured early, significant bruising appearing under his face as the pair landed punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and brave, everything their hero the legend embodied.
