UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the styles never quite clicked, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor commented in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second loss of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Earns Win in Uneventful Affair
His career development has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to edge the more effective periods.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of frequent holding, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the European light heavyweight belt.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial prior to the bout as 10 bells sounded in memory of local hero Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the silence gave way to a chant of "there's just one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the count of eight.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up early, significant bruising developing under his eye as the pair exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but both fighters were persistent and brave, everything their idol the legend represented.
