UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round fight at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective clean blows in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts thought Parker, 31, should have been awarded the win but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Earns Triumph in Slow Match
His career development has stalled in recent years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He started carefully, with neither fighter willing to be aggressive in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to edge the cleaner periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Fuels All-Manchester Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry battle to win the European light heavyweight title.
The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who died 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the final chime disappeared, the stillness gave way to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes matched the feeling. Arthur was floored by a left hook squarely on the jaw in the early round, rising shakily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair traded powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the verdict with official scores of even score, 115-113 and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and full of heart, exactly what their inspiration the legend stood for.
