UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a tight ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was met by boos from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th pro success.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Claims Win in Uneventful Affair
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry fight to secure the European light-heavyweight championship.
The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but both fighters were persistent and courageous, everything their idol the legend embodied.
