British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming debut to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my best display but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner returned to winning ways after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, 31, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter endured the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Dull Encounter
His career development has stalled in the past few years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers willing to overcommit in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was participating in his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who operated with a protective stance to edge the better rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin during constant clinching, with Parker going down several times during grappling.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Fight
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry battle to capture the European light heavyweight championship.
The arena grew hushed for a deeply poignant memorial prior to the bout as a bell ceremony rang in honor of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound faded, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes matched the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the chin in the early round, rising shakily to his footing on the referee's count.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured quickly, heavy swelling appearing under his eye as the pair exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the result with judges scorecards of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and courageous, everything their hero the legend stood for.
