UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling single shots in a match where the techniques failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but what do champions do? They win," the victor said in the ringside as he was met by negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts believed Parker, thirty-one, merited the decision but the contender suffered the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Slow Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience decreased amid regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Inspires Local Rivalry Fight
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to win the European light heavyweight title.
The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as ten bells rang in memory of local hero Hatton, who died aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the silence became a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring reflected the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a significant blow squarely on the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured early, noticeable damage developing under his eye as the fighters exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the verdict with official scores of even score, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol Hatton embodied.
