UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling single shots in a contest where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.
The officials judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi said in the arena as he was faced boos from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-match career.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Uneventful Affair
His career development has slowed in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the better rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester contest to win the European light heavyweight belt.
The arena grew hushed for a extremely emotional tribute prior to the bout as ten bells rang in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the final chime disappeared, the quiet became a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising developing under his face as the fighters exchanged hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but both fighters were persistent and brave, all the qualities their hero the legend stood for.
