UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive beginning to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the fight.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best performance but what defines champions? They win," the victor said in the arena as he was met by boos from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Claims Win in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what appears to be a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to narrowly win the better periods.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid frequent holding, with Parker going down several times during clinches.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Nevertheless, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light-heavyweight championship.
The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the final chime ended, the silence became a shout of "only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a significant blow directly to the face in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured soon, heavy swelling appearing under his face as the duo landed powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with official scores of draw, narrow lead and wider gap, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, everything their hero the legend stood for.
