UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a close ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.
The officials had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi said in the ring as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.
Various analysts thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Claims Win in Slow Encounter
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance decreased because of regular grabbing, with Parker going down various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Rea by close verdict in a excellent all-Manchester contest to capture the European light-heavyweight title.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the quiet became a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage developing under his eye as the fighters landed punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their idol the legend stood for.
