UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate likely gained him a majority decision in a close 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker found success, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 for to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my finest showing but what do champions do? They win," the victor said in the ringside as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers felt Parker, 31, deserved the win but the contender endured the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Earns Win in Slow Match
The fighter's advancement has stalled in recent times through management issues and long spells of lack of fights.
Earlier forecast as the next star of UK boxing, he now stands trying to fulfil that early promise - perhaps in what seems like a last chance - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter prepared to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.
Parker, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand mid-fight, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, the underdog had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner periods.
The audience's tolerance diminished amid regular grabbing, with Parker going down several times during grappling.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - providing analysis for Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, awarding Buatsi just one round.
The victor moves on, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Homage Inspires Local Rivalry Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to capture the European light heavyweight belt.
The venue became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells tolled in memory of local hero Hatton, who succumbed aged 46 in September.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the stillness became a shout of "only one Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the sentiment. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow flush on the chin in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon came forward again. Across the ring, Rea - in competitive blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage appearing under his face as the pair exchanged punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, landed power punches but Arthur, 34, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the action rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
Arthur edged the verdict with scoring tallies of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, all the qualities their inspiration Hatton represented.
