British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive beginning to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a tight ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what defines champions? They win," the victor said in the ringside as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts believed the challenger, 31, merited the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Slow Match
His career development has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to edge the cleaner stanzas.
The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during close exchanges.
Parker ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by divided decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant homage ahead of the contest as ten bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the silence gave way to a shout of "only one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout equaled the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a significant blow flush on the face in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the fighters landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, exactly what their idol the legend embodied.
