UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, landing some telling single shots in a contest where the styles failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They win," the victor commented in the arena as he was faced boos from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Various analysts believed Parker, 31, deserved the decision but the British boxer experienced the second loss of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Claims Win in Uneventful Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent times through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to barely take the more effective rounds.
The crowd's patience diminished during frequent holding, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.
Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur defeated Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry contest to capture the continental championship.
The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as 10 bells rang in honor of local hero Hatton, who died at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the quiet gave way to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his eye as the pair landed punishing blows.
Rea, 27, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor barely secured the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton represented.
