UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive debut to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in February - to secure a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the contender suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Claims Win in Slow Encounter
Buatsi's progress has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the cleaner rounds.
The audience's tolerance decreased during regular grabbing, with Parker going down multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the continental championship.
The stadium grew hushed for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as ten bells rang in memory of the city's native Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the concluding sound faded, the silence gave way to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The action within the ring matched the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch flush on the face in the second round, rising shakily to his feet on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in opposing blue - was injured early, significant bruising forming under his eye as the pair exchanged hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were determined and courageous, everything their idol the legend embodied.
