British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a split decision in a tight 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
The officials had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor said in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the decision but the contender suffered the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Earns Win in Slow Affair
His career development has slowed in recent times through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers willing to be aggressive in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin during constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Battle
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the continental title.
The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional tribute before the fight as 10 bells tolled in memory of local hero Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the stillness gave way to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes reflected the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a left hook directly to the chin in the early round, standing uncertainly to his position on the count of eight.
But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, noticeable damage developing under his face as the pair landed powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the decision with judges scorecards of draw, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and brave, exactly what their idol Hatton represented.
