British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the fight.
The officials judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They win," the victor said in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-match career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent times through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a cagey early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to edge the better periods.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin during regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to win the continental belt.
The venue fell silent for a deeply poignant homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound ended, the silence transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action during the bout matched the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook squarely on the chin in the second round, rising shakily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured early, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the fighters landed powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, all the qualities their hero Hatton embodied.
