British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective clean blows in a match where the styles never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi said in the arena as he was faced boos from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in the past few years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to overcommit in a tentative opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to edge the better periods.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor advances, but with the likes of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Fight
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.
The venue grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as 10 bells rang in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died aged 46 in September.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the last bell faded, the quiet became a roar of "there's just one Hatton".
The action within the ring equaled the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow flush on the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the pair landed powerful shots.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the result with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and brave, all the qualities their hero Hatton stood for.
