UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a split decision in a close 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, connecting with powerful individual punches in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest showing but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers felt Parker, 31, merited the decision but the contender suffered the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Uneventful Affair
His career development has plateaued in recent years through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished amid regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester fight to capture the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in September.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the silence gave way to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action during the bout matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a left hook squarely on the jaw in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged soon, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the fighters landed hard punches.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the decision with official scores of 114-114, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their inspiration the legend embodied.
