UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming debut to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a competitive 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a contest where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching disrupting the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor stated in the ring as he was faced boos from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a 20th career victory.
Various analysts believed the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Earns Triumph in Slow Encounter
His career development has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was competing in only his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during clinches.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just a single round.
The victor advances, but with the likes of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a outstanding local rivalry fight to win the European light-heavyweight title.
The venue became quiet for a extremely emotional tribute before the fight as a bell ceremony rang in honor of the city's native Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime faded, the quiet became a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action during the bout equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook directly to the jaw in the early round, rising shakily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon advanced again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured soon, heavy swelling forming under his eye as the duo landed punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were relentless and brave, all the qualities their idol the legend represented.
