UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a majority decision in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my finest showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor stated in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.
The Londoner got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Various analysts felt the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Earns Win in Dull Affair
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to be aggressive in a tentative opening few rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to edge the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester contest to win the European light-heavyweight title.
The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in honor of local hero Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout reflected the feeling. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured early, significant bruising forming under his eye as the duo landed hard punches.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, everything their hero Hatton represented.
