British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing debut to his career under new promoters with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a majority decision in a close ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They prevail," the victor stated in the ring as he was faced boos from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts believed Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Secures Victory in Slow Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through management issues and long spells of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of British boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to be aggressive in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the better periods.
The spectators' acceptance decreased amid regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry fight to capture the European light-heavyweight championship.
The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell faded, the stillness gave way to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring equaled the feeling. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising forming under his eye as the duo exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor barely secured the decision with official scores of 114-114, 115-113 and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, exactly what their inspiration Hatton embodied.
