UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a split decision in a tight 10-round fight at the boxing arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, delivering effective clean blows in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Slow Encounter
His career development has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of the British fight scene, he now stands trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He started carefully, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during grappling.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester contest to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in memory of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the quiet gave way to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition during the bout reflected the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up early, significant bruising developing under his face as the fighters landed punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
The victor barely secured the decision with official scores of 114-114, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were relentless and courageous, everything their inspiration Hatton embodied.
