British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to life under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a majority decision in a tight ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But Parker had his moments, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, 31, merited the victory but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Dull Affair
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through management issues and extended periods of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand during the bout, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to edge the cleaner periods.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during clinches.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony tolled in honor of local hero Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with judges scorecards of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and brave, everything their idol Hatton embodied.
