UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive debut to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output appeared to earn him a judges' verdict in a close 10-round bout at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a match where the approaches didn't complement each other, with excessive holding disrupting the action.
The officials judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ringside as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers felt the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the contender suffered the second loss of his 28-bout career.
The Champion Claims Victory in Slow Affair
His career development has slowed in the past few years through promotional disputes and considerable time of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at super middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to edge the cleaner rounds.
The audience's tolerance decreased during constant clinching, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
The underdog ended stronger, but many rounds were hard to judge. Nevertheless, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Local Rivalry Contest
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Rea by split-decision in a terrific all-Manchester battle to win the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena grew hushed for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in memory of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring matched the emotion. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a left hook flush on the jaw in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of the fighter soon advanced again. On the opposite side, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged soon, significant bruising appearing under his orbital area as the pair landed hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over the full distance.
The victor edged the verdict with official scores of draw, 115-113 and 115-112, but the two athletes were relentless and full of heart, everything their inspiration the legend embodied.
