UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive beginning to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling single shots in a match where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the action.
The officials had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the win but the contender endured the second defeat of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Claims Victory in Slow Encounter
His career development has slowed in recent years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the better stanzas.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker 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, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light heavyweight belt.
The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime disappeared, the silence gave way to a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the eight count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured soon, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the fighters landed hard punches.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the result with official scores of draw, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were determined and brave, all the qualities their hero Hatton stood for.
