UK light-heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming start to his career under fresh promotional backing with a points victory over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's punch output seemingly secured him a split decision in a close ten-round bout at the boxing arena.
But the challenger found success, delivering effective single shots in a match where the approaches never quite clicked, with excessive holding spoiling the fight.
Two judges judged it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my greatest performance but what do champions do? They win," Buatsi said in the ring as he was met by disapproval from the spectators.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to claim a 20th pro success.
Several boxing experts thought the challenger, thirty-one, deserved the victory but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Claims Victory in Uneventful Match
His career development has plateaued in recent years through contract problems and extended periods 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 recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers prepared to be aggressive in a calculated initial rounds.
The challenger, whose sole prior loss came at the lower weight class against John Ryder in 2022 after breaking his hand mid-fight, was making just his second bout at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had stayed in contention, making life awkward for Buatsi, who utilized a solid defense to narrowly win the cleaner stanzas.
The crowd's patience decreased because of frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas various instances during grappling.
Parker closed well, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, ex-champion Carl Frampton - working with Dazn - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the likes of heavy hitter David Benavidez, and Russian star Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the path to championship success - based on this performance - still seems difficult.
Ricky Hatton Homage Motivates Local Rivalry Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur beat Rea by divided decision in a outstanding all-Manchester battle to capture the continental title.
The stadium fell silent for a deeply poignant homage prior to the bout as 10 bells tolled in honor of Manchester's own Hatton, who died 46 years old in recently.
It was the first major televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the last bell faded, the stillness gave way to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The action within the ring equaled the emotion. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook flush on the face in the initial stage, rising shakily to his position on the referee's count.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in competitive blue - was damaged quickly, significant bruising forming under his orbital area as the duo exchanged powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, 34, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor edged the decision with scoring tallies of 114-114, 115-113 and clearer margin, but both fighters were persistent and brave, exactly what their hero the legend stood for.
