UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful single shots in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding spoiling the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The British fighter bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought Parker, 31, deserved the decision but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Claims Win in Dull Encounter
His career development has slowed in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with both competitors prepared to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the more effective stanzas.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of constant clinching, with the challenger going down various instances during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Inspires Local Rivalry Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to secure the continental championship.
The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action during the bout reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.
But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the pair landed hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with official scores of draw, 115-113 and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and brave, everything their inspiration the legend embodied.
