British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level appeared to earn him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding spoiling the contest.
The officials judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Dull Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience diminished during frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor several times during grappling.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Inspires Local Rivalry Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry fight to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in September.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound ended, the silence gave way to a shout of "only one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook squarely on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, significant bruising developing under his eye as the fighters exchanged hard punches.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the result with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but each competitor were determined and courageous, exactly what their inspiration Hatton stood for.
