British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive debut to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker landed significant shots, connecting with powerful single shots in a match where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts believed Parker, 31, deserved the victory but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Secures Win in Uneventful Affair
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent years through management issues and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective periods.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a terrific all-Manchester contest to capture the European light heavyweight belt.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as ten bells rang in memory of local hero Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the final chime faded, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the eight count.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage appearing under his orbital area as the duo traded punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the verdict with official scores of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, everything their idol Hatton represented.
