UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a close 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling single shots in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best showing but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor said in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th pro success.
Various analysts felt the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Dull Match
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers prepared to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to edge the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of frequent holding, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during clinches.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry fight to win the European light heavyweight title.
The venue became quiet for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as ten bells rang in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet transitioned to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring reflected the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up soon, significant bruising developing under his face as the fighters exchanged hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the verdict with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, everything their inspiration the legend represented.
