UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming beginning to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker had his moments, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.
The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Various analysts thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
His career development has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the next star of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the better periods.
The audience's tolerance diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor several times during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Fuels All-Manchester Fight
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the continental title.
The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the silence gave way to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the eight count.
But the traditional red shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up early, significant bruising appearing under his face as the duo traded punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the result with official scores of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, everything their inspiration the legend represented.
