UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to life under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the contest.
Two judges had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Claims Win in Slow Encounter
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter prepared to take risks in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to edge the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance decreased amid frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor several times during grappling.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Fuels All-Manchester Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to win the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as ten bells tolled in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.
It was the premier televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the silence transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the eight count.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured soon, significant bruising developing under his eye as the fighters landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the result with official scores of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, exactly what their idol Hatton embodied.
