British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive beginning to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi stated in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the victory but the contender endured the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Claims Triumph in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent times through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a protective stance to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The crowd's patience decreased because of frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry fight to capture the European light-heavyweight title.
The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in memory of the city's native Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the last bell ended, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes reflected the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising developing under his eye as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
The victor barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were determined and brave, exactly what their inspiration the legend embodied.
