UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the styles failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the contest.
The officials judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi said in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Claims Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished amid regular grabbing, with Parker going down various instances during clinches.
The underdog finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Inspires Local Rivalry Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to capture the continental belt.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the location since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the silence transitioned to a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The competition during the bout matched the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch flush on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged quickly, noticeable damage forming under his eye as the fighters exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the result with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and brave, exactly what their idol Hatton embodied.
