UK light-heavyweight Buatsi earned a win yet disappointing beginning to his career under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's activity level seemingly secured him a split decision in a competitive ten-round fight at the Co-op Live Arena.
But the challenger landed significant shots, delivering effective individual punches in a contest where the approaches never quite clicked, with constant grabbing spoiling the contest.
Two judges had it 96-94 to Buatsi, with the third a 95-95 draw.
"It wasn't my finest display but what do champions do? They succeed," the victor stated in the ringside as he was faced boos from the audience.
The British fighter got back to winning after his maiden career setback - an epic battle with Callum Smith in last winter - to claim a twentieth professional win.
Some ringside observers thought Parker, 31, merited the victory but the British boxer endured the second setback of his 28-fight career.
The Champion Secures Win in Dull Match
His career development has slowed in the past few years through management issues and considerable time of inactivity.
Earlier forecast as the future of British boxing, he now stands trying to achieve expectations - perhaps in what feels like a ultimate opportunity - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with neither fighter ready to overcommit in a tentative early stages.
The challenger, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against his former opponent in two years ago after damaging his hand in the contest, was making just his second fight at light-heavyweight.
By the middle rounds, Parker had stayed in contention, causing problems for Buatsi, who worked behind a tight guard to edge the better periods.
The spectators' acceptance decreased during constant clinching, with Parker falling to the floor several times during clinches.
The underdog closed well, but several stanzas were hard to judge. Although, previous titleholder the boxing analyst - working with the broadcast network - had it strongly leaning for the challenger, giving Buatsi just a single round.
Buatsi progresses, but with the caliber of heavy hitter Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol dominating the weight class, the road to world glory - based on this performance - still appears challenging.
Hatton Tribute Inspires Manchester Derby Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by divided decision in a outstanding local rivalry battle to secure the European light heavyweight belt.
The stadium fell silent for a extremely emotional homage prior to the bout as a bell ceremony tolled in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who succumbed at age 46 in recently.
It was the premier televised match card in the urban center since Hatton's death. As the final chime ended, the quiet transitioned to a shout of "only one Hatton".
The competition during the bout matched the sentiment. Arthur was knocked down by a significant blow directly to the chin in the early round, getting up unsteadily to his feet on the referee's count.
But the traditional red attire of Arthur soon advanced again. From the other corner, the opponent - in rival City blue - was injured soon, heavy swelling developing under his orbital area as the fighters traded hard punches.
The challenger, 27, connected with strong blows but Arthur, thirty-four, matched the intensity with powerful upward punches as the intensity rarely dropped over the full distance.
Arthur narrowly won the result with scoring tallies of even score, close margin and clearer margin, but each competitor were persistent and full of heart, everything their hero the legend represented.
