UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round fight at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced boos from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts felt Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Win in Uneventful Affair
His career development has stalled in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the better rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry fight to secure the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of local hero Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet gave way to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring equaled the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his position on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising forming under his face as the duo landed powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the result with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and courageous, everything their hero Hatton embodied.
