UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a split decision in a tight ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi stated in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Claims Win in Dull Encounter
His career development has plateaued in the past few years through contract problems and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter willing to be aggressive in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was competing in only his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience decreased amid constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels All-Manchester Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry contest to secure the continental belt.
The stadium grew hushed for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as 10 bells tolled in honor of the city's native Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with official scores of even score, narrow lead and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, everything their inspiration Hatton represented.
