UK light-heavyweight 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 bronze medallist's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a competitive 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But the challenger had his moments, connecting with powerful clean blows in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my best showing but how do champions respond? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was greeted with negative reactions from the crowd.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an memorable fight with his previous opponent in February - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts thought Parker, thirty-one, merited the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-match career.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Uneventful Match
The fighter's advancement has slowed in recent years through contract problems and extended periods of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to fulfil that early promise - possibly in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a tentative early stages.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who operated with a solid defense to edge the better rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin during regular grabbing, with Parker going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.
The underdog closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur overcame Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to win the European light-heavyweight title.
The venue fell silent for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as ten bells sounded in memory of the city's native Ricky Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast match card in the location since Hatton's passing. As the last bell disappeared, the stillness became a shout of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting during the bout equaled the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch directly to the chin in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon came forward again. From the other corner, the opponent - in opposing blue - was injured soon, heavy swelling forming under his face as the pair landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but the champion, 34, responded in kind with stinging uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor narrowly won the result with judges scorecards of even score, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were persistent and full of heart, exactly what their idol the legend embodied.
