UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level appeared to earn him a split decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a contest where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was met by disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers felt Parker, 31, deserved the decision but the British boxer suffered the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Slow Affair
His career development has slowed in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance diminished because of frequent holding, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester contest to win the European light-heavyweight championship.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage before the fight as 10 bells sounded in honor of local hero Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured soon, significant bruising developing under his eye as the duo landed powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the decision with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, exactly what their inspiration Hatton embodied.
