British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive beginning to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing marring the contest.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi said in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th career victory.
Various analysts thought the challenger, 31, deserved the victory but the contender suffered the second setback of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Dull Affair
His career development has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the rising talent of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a tentative early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the more effective stanzas.
The audience's tolerance decreased during frequent holding, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester contest to secure the European light heavyweight belt.
The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the final chime disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring equaled the sentiment. Arthur was floored by a left hook squarely on the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up early, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the duo traded hard punches.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the verdict with official scores of even score, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and courageous, everything their hero Hatton embodied.
