British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming beginning to his career under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing marring the action.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor commented in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought Parker, 31, merited the win but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor several times during grappling.
The underdog finished the stronger, but multiple periods were challenging to assess. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Inspires Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by split-decision in a excellent local rivalry contest to capture the European light heavyweight championship.
The venue fell silent for a deeply poignant homage before the fight as 10 bells tolled in memory of local hero Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the location since Hatton's passing. As the final chime ended, the quiet became a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook squarely on the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, heavy swelling forming under his orbital area as the duo exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the action seldom decreased over the full distance.
The victor edged the result with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, everything their idol the legend represented.
