British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the styles never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best performance but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ring as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought the challenger, thirty-one, merited the victory but the British boxer experienced the second defeat of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Slow Affair
His career development has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to be aggressive in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to narrowly win the better rounds.
The crowd's patience diminished amid frequent holding, with the challenger going down several times during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. Although, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry fight to secure the continental championship.
The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as ten bells rang in remembrance of local hero Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the silence became a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition during the bout equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch directly to the face in the second round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling forming under his face as the duo landed powerful shots.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-112, but each competitor were determined and brave, everything their hero Hatton stood for.
