British light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet unimpressive start to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight ten-round fight at the Manchester venue.
But the challenger found success, connecting with powerful individual punches in a fight where the techniques never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the action.
The scoring judges judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest showing but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor said in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the crowd.
The Londoner bounced back after his initial pro loss - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the contender experienced the second setback of his 28-match professional journey.
The Champion Claims Triumph in Uneventful Affair
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent times through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Previously predicted as the future of the British fight scene, he now finds himself trying to fulfil that early promise - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He started carefully, with both competitors willing to overcommit in a cagey early stages.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, causing problems for Buatsi, who operated with a tight guard to barely take the better rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished amid constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but many rounds were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, former world champion the boxing analyst - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, scoring for Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - judging by this showing - still looks steep.
Hatton Tribute Motivates Manchester Derby Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by close verdict in a excellent Manchester vs Manchester fight to secure the continental belt.
The stadium became quiet for a profoundly moving tribute ahead of the contest as ten bells rang in honor of local hero Ricky Hatton, who passed away at age 46 in recently.
It was the initial significant broadcast boxing event in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the concluding sound disappeared, the silence became a roar of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action within the ring matched the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the initial stage, getting up unsteadily to his position on the referee's count.
But the Manchester United-red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up soon, significant bruising appearing under his eye as the fighters exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, matched the intensity with effective uppercuts as the intensity seldom decreased over 12 rounds.
Arthur narrowly won the decision with official scores of 114-114, 115-113 and clearer margin, but the two athletes were persistent and full of heart, all the qualities their hero the legend stood for.
