UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a close ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the action.
The officials had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi said in the arena as he was met by boos from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts felt Parker, 31, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-match career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Slow Match
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through management issues and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to edge the cleaner rounds.
The audience's tolerance diminished because of constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor progresses, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry fight to secure the continental title.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as 10 bells sounded in honor of local hero Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the silence gave way to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow flush on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was injured quickly, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the duo traded powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and courageous, everything their inspiration Hatton represented.
