UK light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, delivering effective clean blows in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 for to the winner, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They prevail," the victor stated in the arena as he was greeted with disapproval from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the contender suffered the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
The Champion Secures Victory in Slow Affair
Buatsi's progress has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He started carefully, with neither fighter prepared to take risks in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was competing in only his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to edge the more effective rounds.
The crowd's patience decreased amid frequent holding, with the challenger going down various instances during close exchanges.
The underdog finished the stronger, but several stanzas were difficult to score. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi advances, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Tribute Inspires All-Manchester Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by divided decision in a terrific local rivalry contest to secure the European light-heavyweight belt.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute before the fight as 10 bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring matched the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook squarely on the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising developing under his face as the fighters traded powerful shots.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the pace hardly diminished over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the decision with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and brave, everything their hero the legend embodied.
