UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing start to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a split decision in a close ten-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
Two judges had it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor commented in the ringside as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts thought Parker, 31, deserved the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Earns Win in Slow Match
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent years through management issues and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what seems like a last chance - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the better periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid frequent holding, with Parker falling to the floor several times during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Inspires Local Rivalry Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a excellent local rivalry contest to capture the European light heavyweight championship.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in last month.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime faded, the stillness gave way to a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes equaled the feeling. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in rival City blue - was injured early, heavy swelling forming under his face as the fighters landed hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the decision with official scores of 114-114, 115-113 and clearer margin, but each competitor were relentless and full of heart, all the qualities their hero the legend stood for.
