UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They win," the victor commented in the ringside as he was faced disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Some ringside observers thought the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Secures Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to be aggressive in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to barely take the cleaner stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of regular grabbing, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.
Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were difficult to score. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Battle
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester contest to capture the European light-heavyweight championship.
The stadium became quiet for a extremely emotional homage ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in memory of local hero Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the stillness became a chant of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting during the bout equaled the emotion. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his position on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged early, noticeable damage forming under his eye as the pair exchanged hard punches.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the decision with official scores of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, exactly what their idol the legend embodied.
