UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers felt the challenger, 31, deserved the win but the British boxer experienced the second setback of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Dull Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent times through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with both competitors ready to overcommit in a tentative opening few rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Local Rivalry Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester battle to capture the European light heavyweight championship.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage ahead of the contest as ten bells sounded in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch flush on the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the pair traded punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and courageous, everything their idol Hatton represented.
