British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor commented in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, merited the decision but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Uneventful Match
His career development has slowed in the past few years through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter ready to overcommit in a cagey early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a tight guard to edge the cleaner periods.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin because of frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor various instances during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent local rivalry contest to capture the continental title.
The arena fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as ten bells sounded in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who died 46 years old in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime disappeared, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The action during the bout matched the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.
But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling developing under his eye as the fighters landed punishing blows.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were relentless and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.
