UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching spoiling the contest.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest showing but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his maiden career setback - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th pro success.
Various analysts felt the challenger, 31, deserved the decision but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-bout career.
Buatsi Earns Triumph in Uneventful Match
His career development has slowed in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors prepared to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a protective stance to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished because of frequent holding, with Parker going down several times during close exchanges.
Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Local Rivalry Battle
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a terrific all-Manchester battle to secure the continental championship.
The arena became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells tolled in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the final chime ended, the stillness became a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The action during the bout matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a significant blow flush on the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the eight count.
But the traditional red equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured quickly, noticeable damage forming under his face as the duo landed punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with scoring tallies of draw, close margin and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and brave, everything their hero Hatton stood for.
