UK light-heavyweight Buatsi made a winning yet disappointing debut to life under recent management with a unanimous decision over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's work rate appeared to earn him a split decision in a close 10-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger had his moments, landing some telling clean blows in a contest where the approaches failed to mesh, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.
The officials scored it 96-94 for to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced boos from the crowd.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in February - to earn a twentieth professional win.
Various analysts thought the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter experienced the second loss of his 28-bout professional journey.
Buatsi Secures Victory in Dull Encounter
His career development has slowed in recent times through promotional disputes and extended periods of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of UK boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with neither fighter ready to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after breaking his hand in the contest, was participating in his second appearance at light-heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for Buatsi, who worked behind a solid defense to narrowly win the better stanzas.
The spectators' acceptance wore thin amid frequent holding, with the challenger going down multiple occasions during close exchanges.
Parker finished the stronger, but multiple periods were hard to judge. However, former world champion Carl Frampton - providing analysis for the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for Parker, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi progresses, but with the presence of hard hitter Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still seems difficult.
Hatton Memorial Motivates All-Manchester Fight
In the co-main event, Arthur overcame Bradley Rea by split-decision in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the European light-heavyweight title.
The arena became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute prior to the bout as ten bells tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who died at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the city since Hatton's passing. As the last bell ended, the quiet became a chant of "only one Ricky Hatton".
The action inside the ropes matched the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a left hook flush on the chin in the second round, rising shakily to his position on the eight count.
But the Manchester United-red equipment of the fighter soon advanced again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up soon, significant bruising appearing under his orbital area as the fighters traded punishing blows.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with effective uppercuts as the action seldom decreased over twelve rounds.
The victor narrowly won the decision with official scores of draw, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and courageous, everything their inspiration Hatton embodied.
