UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi secured a victory yet unimpressive debut to life under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output likely gained him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the approaches didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was faced boos from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts felt the challenger, thirty-one, merited the win but the British boxer endured the second loss of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Claims Triumph in Slow Affair
The fighter's advancement has plateaued in recent years through promotional disputes and long spells of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the future of British boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what feels like a last chance - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with both competitors ready to be aggressive in a calculated opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was making just his second appearance at the higher weight class.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had kept it close, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to barely take the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished because of regular grabbing, with Parker falling to the floor several times during clinches.
The underdog closed well, but multiple periods were difficult to score. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Memorial Motivates Manchester Derby Fight
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester contest to capture the continental championship.
The stadium grew hushed for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as 10 bells sounded in memory of the city's native Hatton, who died aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised boxing event in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the silence transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting inside the ropes equaled the sentiment. Arthur was sent to the canvas by a significant blow squarely on the face in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the Manchester United-red shorts of Arthur soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the pair traded punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor narrowly won the decision with judges scorecards of 114-114, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and courageous, exactly what their inspiration Hatton embodied.
