UK light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet disappointing start to life under recent management with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a close ten-round contest at the Manchester venue.
But Parker landed significant shots, landing some telling individual punches in a fight where the styles never quite clicked, with frequent clinching marring the contest.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what defines champions? They win," Buatsi stated in the arena as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The British fighter returned to winning ways after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts felt Parker, thirty-one, deserved the decision but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Earns Triumph in Dull Match
His career development has stalled in recent times through promotional disputes and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - possibly in what seems like a last chance - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with the two boxers willing to take risks in a tentative initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at super-middleweight against John Ryder in two years ago after suffering a hand injury mid-fight, was making just his second appearance at light heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, the underdog had kept it close, causing problems for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to edge the more effective stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance decreased because of regular grabbing, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during clinches.
The underdog ended stronger, but multiple periods were difficult to score. However, former world champion the boxing analyst - commentating on the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.
Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of power puncher David Benavidez, and Russian champion Bivol leading the category, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Hatton Homage Motivates Manchester Derby Battle
In the secondary fight, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to win the European light-heavyweight belt.
The stadium fell silent for a profoundly moving memorial before the fight as 10 bells rang in memory of local hero Hatton, who died 46 years old in September.
It was the premier televised match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound faded, the quiet gave way to a roar of "there's just one Ricky Hatton".
The fighting within the ring matched the feeling. The eventual winner was sent to the canvas by a significant blow directly to the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon came forward again. On the opposite side, the opponent - in competitive blue - was marked up quickly, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the fighters traded punishing blows.
The challenger, twenty-seven, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, responded in kind with powerful upward punches as the intensity hardly diminished over the full distance.
The victor barely secured the verdict with official scores of draw, 115-113 and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their hero the legend embodied.
