British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a majority decision in a close 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the action.
The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.
The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the British boxer suffered the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to narrowly win the better rounds.
The audience's tolerance diminished amid constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry contest to secure the European light heavyweight belt.
The arena fell silent for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet gave way to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the fighters exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with official scores of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and courageous, exactly what their inspiration Hatton stood for.
