British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling clean blows in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.
Two judges had it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best showing but what defines champions? They prevail," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts believed Parker, 31, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Dull Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent times through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a calculated opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to edge the better periods.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony sounded in memory of the city's native Hatton, who died aged 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness became a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the jaw in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the fighters landed punishing blows.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with official scores of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and full of heart, everything their hero Hatton embodied.
