UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to life under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a majority decision in a close 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective single shots in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with frequent clinching marring the fight.
The officials scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor stated in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the contender experienced the second defeat of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Earns Triumph in Uneventful Encounter
His career development has slowed in recent years through management issues and long spells of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a last chance - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with both competitors prepared to overcommit in a cagey initial rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to edge the cleaner periods.
The crowd's patience diminished during frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog finished the stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the co-main event, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a terrific local rivalry fight to win the continental title.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional memorial before the fight as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the initial significant broadcast fight night in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime ended, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "there's just one Hatton".
The action within the ring matched the feeling. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook flush on the chin in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged quickly, noticeable damage developing under his face as the pair landed hard punches.
The challenger, 27, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the result with official scores of draw, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were persistent and courageous, all the qualities their hero Hatton represented.
