UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a close ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor commented in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th pro success.
Various analysts believed Parker, 31, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Secures Triumph in Dull Affair
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the more effective stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance decreased amid regular grabbing, with the challenger going down several times during clinches.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester fight to capture the continental title.
The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as ten bells sounded in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who died aged 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the silence gave way to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the face in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the fighters landed punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and wider gap, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their inspiration the legend embodied.
