UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level appeared to earn him a split decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker found success, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what defines champions? They win," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced negative reactions from the spectators.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the win but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Secures Win in Dull Affair
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to take risks in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner periods.
The crowd's patience diminished because of constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Local Rivalry Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester fight to secure the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial prior to the bout as ten bells rang in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the count of eight.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage developing under his eye as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the result with official scores of even score, 115-113 and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their hero Hatton represented.
