British light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing start to life under new promoters with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level likely gained him a judges' verdict in a competitive ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger landed significant shots, connecting with powerful single shots in a fight where the techniques didn't complement each other, with frequent clinching spoiling the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to the winner, with the third a 95-95.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor commented in the ring as he was faced disapproval from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in last winter - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt the challenger, thirty-one, merited the decision but the British boxer suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Secures Win in Uneventful Affair
The fighter's advancement has slowed in the past few years through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a ultimate opportunity - under recent support.
He opened tentatively, with the two boxers prepared to take risks in a tentative opening few rounds.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand during the bout, was competing in only his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective stanzas.
The crowd's patience diminished amid frequent holding, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were difficult to score. Although, former world champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it significantly in favor for Parker, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi advances, but with the likes of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol dominating the weight class, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Fuels Manchester Derby Contest
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by close verdict in a excellent local rivalry contest to win the continental belt.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony sounded in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's passing. As the last bell faded, the stillness transitioned to a roar of "only one Hatton".
The competition within the ring equaled the feeling. The eventual winner was knocked down by a left hook flush on the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the count of eight.
But the traditional red attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured early, noticeable damage forming under his orbital area as the pair landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the intensity seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with official scores of 114-114, close margin and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and courageous, everything their idol Hatton stood for.
