British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding marring the fight.
The officials judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best display but how do champions respond? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Various analysts believed Parker, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - maybe in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a tentative initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to edge the cleaner rounds.
The crowd's patience diminished because of constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester battle to secure the continental belt.
The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as 10 bells tolled in memory of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the quiet became a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting during the bout matched the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook directly to the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured early, noticeable damage appearing under his eye as the pair landed punishing blows.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the result with judges scorecards of 114-114, 115-113 and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and courageous, everything their idol Hatton represented.
