British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing marring the action.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the British boxer suffered the second loss of his 28-match professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Uneventful Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to edge the more effective periods.
The audience's tolerance decreased during frequent holding, with Parker going down several times during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Although, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Fight
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the continental title.
The venue grew hushed for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in honor of local hero Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the stillness gave way to a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The action during the bout matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the action seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
Arthur barely secured the decision with official scores of even score, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and brave, everything their hero Hatton embodied.
