UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output likely gained him a split decision in a tight 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to claim a 20th career victory.
Various analysts believed Parker, 31, deserved the victory but the contender experienced the second loss of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Claims Triumph in Dull Match
His career development has stalled in the past few years through management issues and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after breaking his hand during the bout, was making just his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner periods.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor various instances during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Homage Fuels All-Manchester Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry fight to win the continental belt.
The venue became quiet for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell ended, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook flush on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the fighters traded punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the result with judges scorecards of draw, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, exactly what their idol the legend embodied.
