British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing beginning to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a split decision in a close 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching spoiling the contest.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the victory but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second loss of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to realize his potential - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was competing in only his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to barely take the more effective periods.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid constant clinching, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just a single round.
The victor progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Fuels All-Manchester Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific all-Manchester contest to secure the continental belt.
The venue fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial prior to the bout as 10 bells sounded in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died aged 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell faded, the quiet became a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the emotion. Arthur was floored by a left hook squarely on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his footing on the eight count.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the duo landed powerful shots.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over the full distance.
The victor narrowly won the verdict with judges scorecards of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were persistent and brave, everything their inspiration Hatton embodied.
