UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a majority decision in a close ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective single shots in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor stated in the ring as he was greeted with boos from the crowd.
The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers believed Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Win in Dull Encounter
His career development has slowed in recent times through management issues and long spells of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what appears to be a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the cleaner rounds.
The crowd's patience decreased because of regular grabbing, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Fight
In the supporting bout, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a terrific all-Manchester contest to win the continental championship.
The arena grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as 10 bells rang in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness gave way to a roar of "only one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage forming under his eye as the pair exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and brave, exactly what their idol Hatton represented.
