UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level appeared to earn him a split decision in a close ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching disrupting the fight.
Two judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best display but what defines champions? They win," the victor stated in the arena as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Claims Win in Uneventful Match
His career development has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to be aggressive in a tentative opening few rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was making just his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to barely take the better stanzas.
The audience's tolerance diminished during regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas several times during grappling.
Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific local rivalry fight to win the European light-heavyweight title.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant memorial before the fight as 10 bells tolled in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in recently.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the location since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the quiet became a chant of "only one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising appearing under his face as the pair traded punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
The victor narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but the two athletes were determined and full of heart, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.
