British light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing beginning to life under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt the challenger, 31, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Secures Win in Slow Match
His career development has stalled in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for the favorite, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished amid regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - commentating on Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry contest to capture the continental title.
The venue grew hushed for a extremely emotional tribute prior to the bout as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the silence gave way to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook flush on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling developing under his face as the duo landed hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with scoring tallies of draw, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, exactly what their hero Hatton represented.
