UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a competitive 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, landing some telling single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with excessive holding marring the fight.
The officials had it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was faced negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, thirty-one, merited the victory but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Earns Win in Dull Encounter
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent years through contract problems and long spells of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had kept it close, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the cleaner stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished because of frequent holding, with Parker going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were difficult to score. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the journey to titles - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to secure the continental title.
The venue grew hushed for a profoundly moving homage prior to the bout as ten bells sounded in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who passed away 46 years old in September.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness gave way to a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the eight count.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage appearing under his face as the duo exchanged punishing blows.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the pace seldom decreased over the full distance.
Arthur barely secured the result with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and clearer margin, but the two athletes were determined and brave, everything their hero the legend represented.
