British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet underwhelming start to life under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round contest at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with frequent clinching spoiling the fight.
The officials had it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest performance but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the spectators.
The Londoner bounced back after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to earn a 20th career victory.
Several boxing experts believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the decision but the British boxer endured the second defeat of his 28-match career.
The Champion Secures Victory in Dull Match
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter willing to take risks in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was making just his second fight at the higher weight class.
By the middle rounds, the underdog had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased amid constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor several times during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of hard hitter Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Inspires Local Rivalry Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent local rivalry fight to win the European light-heavyweight belt.
The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving memorial ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in honor of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised fight night in the city since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the stillness became a chant of "there's only one Hatton".
The competition during the bout equaled the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a powerful punch squarely on the chin in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his position on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured early, heavy swelling appearing under his orbital area as the duo landed powerful shots.
Rea, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the pace rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the decision with scoring tallies of even score, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were persistent and courageous, everything their hero Hatton stood for.
