UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming beginning to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a tight 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a contest where the approaches didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the action.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best showing but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor stated in the arena as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts thought Parker, 31, deserved the victory but the contender experienced the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Claims Win in Dull Match
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin during constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to win the European light heavyweight title.
The arena fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime faded, the quiet transitioned to a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up quickly, noticeable damage forming under his eye as the fighters traded punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the verdict with judges scorecards of draw, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were relentless and courageous, exactly what their idol Hatton stood for.
