UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing marring the action.
The officials had it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my best showing but how do champions respond? They win," the victor stated in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second setback of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Slow Encounter
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter ready to take risks in a tentative 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 in the contest, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the more effective stanzas.
The crowd's patience decreased because of constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a excellent local rivalry battle to secure the European light heavyweight belt.
The arena fell silent for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the silence transitioned to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action during the bout matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow flush on the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the fighters exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of draw, 115-113 and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their inspiration Hatton embodied.
