British light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing debut to his career under fresh promotional backing with a decision win over Zach Parker in the Manchester arena.
The Olympic medal winner's activity level seemingly secured him a majority decision in a competitive ten-round bout at the Co-op Live Arena.
But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful single shots in a contest where the techniques didn't complement each other, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.
Two judges scored it 96-94 to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my greatest display but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor said in the arena as he was faced negative reactions from the audience.
The Londoner bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in February - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers believed the challenger, 31, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second loss of his 28-match career.
The Champion Claims Win in Uneventful 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 stands trying to achieve expectations - possibly in what appears to be a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He began cautiously, with the two boxers ready to take risks in a tentative early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at super-middleweight against his former opponent in 2022 after suffering a hand injury during the bout, was making just his second bout at light heavyweight.
By the halfway stage, Parker had made it competitive, creating difficulties for the favorite, who worked behind a protective stance to narrowly win the more effective rounds.
The spectators' acceptance diminished during frequent holding, with the challenger slipping to the canvas multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker finished the stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, awarding Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi advances, but with the caliber of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian champion Dmitry Bivol ruling the division, the journey to titles - on this evidence - still appears challenging.
Hatton Homage Fuels All-Manchester Fight
In the secondary fight, Lyndon Arthur defeated Rea by close verdict in a outstanding Manchester vs Manchester battle to capture the European light heavyweight title.
The arena fell silent for a extremely emotional homage before the fight as 10 bells sounded in remembrance of Manchester's own Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in last month.
It was the premier televised boxing event in the city since Hatton's passing. As the concluding sound disappeared, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting during the bout matched the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow squarely on the jaw in the early round, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of Arthur soon advanced again. Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up early, noticeable damage developing under his orbital area as the duo exchanged powerful shots.
The challenger, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, responded in kind with effective uppercuts as the action hardly diminished over twelve rounds.
The victor narrowly won the result with official scores of draw, narrow lead and 115-112, but both fighters were determined and full of heart, all the qualities their idol Hatton stood for.
