UK light-heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet unimpressive start to his career under new promoters with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker found success, landing some telling clean blows in a fight where the techniques failed to mesh, with frequent clinching disrupting the fight.
The scoring judges had it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest display but how do champions respond? They prevail," the victor said in the arena as he was faced disapproval from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his initial pro loss - an thrilling contest with his previous opponent in February - to secure a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers felt the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second defeat of his 28-fight career.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Uneventful Encounter
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through management issues and considerable time of lack of fights.
Once tipped as the future of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to realize his potential - perhaps in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under fresh management.
He opened tentatively, with neither fighter prepared to be aggressive in a cagey initial rounds.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the better rounds.
The crowd's patience wore thin because of constant clinching, with the challenger falling to the floor multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. Nevertheless, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
The victor moves on, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding all-Manchester contest to capture the European light heavyweight championship.
The venue became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute before the fight as ten bells sounded in honor of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed 46 years old in September.
It was the first major televised match card in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the stillness transitioned to a shout of "there's just one Hatton".
The competition inside the ropes matched the emotion. Arthur was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his position on the count of eight.
But the red-colored shorts of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, the opponent - in rival City blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling appearing under his face as the fighters exchanged hard punches.
The challenger, 27, landed power punches but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur edged the decision with judges scorecards of even score, close margin and wider gap, but each competitor were determined and brave, everything their idol the legend represented.
