UK light heavyweight Buatsi secured a victory yet underwhelming beginning to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a close ten-round bout at the Manchester venue.
But Parker found success, connecting with powerful clean blows in a fight where the approaches failed to mesh, with excessive holding disrupting the contest.
The scoring judges scored it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the final judge a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest display but what defines champions? They succeed," Buatsi said in the ring as he was greeted with boos from the audience.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to secure a twentieth professional win.
Several boxing experts thought the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the Derbyshire fighter suffered the second defeat of his 28-match career.
The Champion Earns Victory in Uneventful Affair
His career development has plateaued in the past few years through management issues and extended periods of inactivity.
Once tipped as the next star of British boxing, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what feels like a final roll of the dice - under recent support.
He started carefully, with neither fighter willing to overcommit in a calculated early stages.
Parker, whose only previous defeat came at the lower weight class against his former opponent in 2022 after damaging his hand during the bout, was making just his second fight at light heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had made it competitive, making life awkward for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to barely take the cleaner periods.
The crowd's patience diminished amid regular grabbing, with Parker going down multiple occasions during clinches.
Parker ended stronger, but many rounds were challenging to assess. However, ex-champion the boxing analyst - providing analysis for Dazn - had it particularly wide for the challenger, giving Buatsi just one round.
The victor advances, but with the caliber of hard hitter David Benavidez, and Eastern European fighter Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Tribute Motivates All-Manchester Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur beat Bradley Rea by split-decision in a excellent all-Manchester battle to win the continental belt.
The arena grew hushed for a profoundly moving tribute prior to the bout as ten bells rang in remembrance of Manchester's own Ricky Hatton, who passed away aged 46 in September.
It was the first major televised fight night in the city since Hatton's death. As the final chime faded, the stillness gave way to a shout of "only one Hatton".
The action inside the ropes reflected the sentiment. The eventual winner was floored by a powerful punch squarely on the face in the initial stage, standing uncertainly to his feet on the count of eight.
But the traditional red equipment of Arthur soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in opposing blue - was damaged early, significant bruising forming under his eye as the duo traded powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, delivered effective strikes but Arthur, 34, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over 12 rounds.
The victor edged the verdict with judges scorecards of 114-114, narrow lead and wider gap, but both fighters were determined and brave, all the qualities their inspiration the legend embodied.
