UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level likely gained him a majority decision in a competitive 10-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful individual punches in a contest where the styles didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest showing but what defines champions? They win," the victor said in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts thought the challenger, thirty-one, merited the decision but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Uneventful Affair
The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the next star of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury in the contest, was competing in only his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a tight guard to barely take the more effective rounds.
The crowd's patience decreased amid regular grabbing, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a terrific Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant homage ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the city since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound ended, the stillness gave way to a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes matched the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the eight count.
But the traditional red shorts of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up early, significant bruising forming under his eye as the pair landed powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the result with scoring tallies of 114-114, close margin and 115-112, but the two athletes were determined and courageous, exactly what their hero Hatton embodied.
