UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive beginning to his career under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful clean blows in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the fight.
Two judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest performance but what do champions do? They win," the victor commented in the ring as he was greeted with disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Various analysts felt Parker, 31, merited the victory but the contender suffered the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Win in Slow Match
His career development has slowed in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to edge the better rounds.
The audience's tolerance wore thin amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Hatton Homage Inspires All-Manchester Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to secure the continental championship.
The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as ten bells sounded in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the location since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness became a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a significant blow directly to the jaw in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the fighters landed hard punches.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
The victor barely secured the verdict with judges scorecards of draw, narrow lead and clearer margin, but each competitor were relentless and courageous, everything their hero the legend represented.
