UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive start to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a majority decision in a tight 10-round fight at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding marring the action.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts thought Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the contender suffered the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Secures Win in Slow Match
His career development has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a cagey early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was making just his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the better rounds.
The audience's tolerance wore thin during constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester contest to capture the European light-heavyweight championship.
The stadium grew hushed for a deeply poignant tribute before the fight as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime faded, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "only one Hatton".
The action during the bout equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow squarely on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his feet on the eight count.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising developing under his orbital area as the duo traded hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the verdict with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and brave, exactly what their idol the legend stood for.
