British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a competitive 10-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective single shots in a match where the styles didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
The officials judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second setback of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Uneventful Match
His career development has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the next star of British boxing, he now stands trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to edge the better rounds.
The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light heavyweight championship.
The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as 10 bells sounded in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who died 46 years old in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the quiet gave way to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the feeling. Arthur was floored by a left hook squarely on the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the fighters landed powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and clearer margin, but both fighters were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their idol the legend represented.
