British light-heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive debut to his career under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, landing some telling individual punches in a match where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing spoiling the action.
Two judges judged it 96-94 in favor to Buatsi, with the final judge a even score.
"It wasn't my finest display but how do champions respond? They win," Buatsi commented in the arena as he was met by disapproval from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to earn a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the win but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-match career.
The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Match
His career development has stalled in recent times through contract problems and extended periods of lack of fights.
Previously predicted as the rising talent of UK boxing, he now finds himself trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with the two boxers ready to overcommit in a cagey opening few rounds.
The challenger, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a tight guard to barely take the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but several stanzas were hard to judge. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Battle
In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding local rivalry battle to win the continental championship.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant memorial ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in honor of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the urban center since the passing of Hatton. As the final chime faded, the stillness became a chant of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the emotion. The eventual winner was knocked down by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the second round, standing uncertainly to his position on the referee's count.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was marked up soon, heavy swelling forming under his face as the pair traded punishing blows.
Rea, 27, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with powerful upward punches as the pace hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor edged the decision with official scores of draw, narrow lead and 115-112, but both fighters were relentless and brave, exactly what their hero Hatton stood for.
