UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming beginning to life under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker landed significant shots, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.
Two judges had it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was met by negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, merited the decision but the contender experienced the second loss of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Earns Victory in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to edge the better periods.
The audience's tolerance decreased amid constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Hatton Tribute Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by divided decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight title.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in memory of local hero Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the final chime ended, the silence transitioned to a shout of "only one Hatton".
The competition within the ring matched the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow directly to the chin in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up early, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the pair traded hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the decision with scoring tallies of draw, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, everything their idol the legend embodied.
