British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a close 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker found success, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.
Two judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts believed Parker, 31, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Slow Encounter
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was participating in his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the better periods.
The crowd's patience decreased amid regular grabbing, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry contest to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime disappeared, the silence became a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged early, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the fighters traded punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and brave, everything their inspiration Hatton represented.
