UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output seemingly secured him a split decision in a tight 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the fight.
The officials had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was met by boos from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, 31, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Claims Victory in Dull Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the more effective periods.
The spectators' acceptance diminished during frequent holding, with the challenger going down several times during clinches.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the continental belt.
The venue became quiet for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as 10 bells sounded in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the silence transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the chin in the second round, rising shakily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the red-colored equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up soon, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the fighters exchanged hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and brave, all the qualities their inspiration the legend represented.
