British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing debut to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a tight ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
The officials judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best showing but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
Buatsi Claims Triumph in Slow Match
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with the two boxers prepared to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to edge the better stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during clinches.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the continental belt.
The venue became quiet for a extremely emotional homage ahead of the contest as ten bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness became a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes matched the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow flush on the face in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured early, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the duo landed powerful shots.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor edged the result with official scores of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and brave, everything their hero Hatton represented.
