Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva, the underdog, stunned Frazer Clarke in the 11th round before securing the British heavyweight title by decision.
In a landmark evening that marked the return of live professional boxing to BBC linear television after two decades, Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva defeated Frazer Clarke by split decision to seize the British heavyweight crown.
The bout at Derby Vaillant Live arena, while not a purely technical affair with instances of grappling and clinching, ignited with a powerful left hook from TKV that rocked Clarke in the penultimate round.
The stunned Clarke, struggling to stay upright, retreated to his corner. His trainer, ready to withdraw him if he didn’t respond, was met with Clarke’s insistence to continue, and he bravely persevered through the final round.
The judges’ scorecards read 115-113 and 115-112 in favor of TKV, while the third judge scored it 115-112 for Clarke, the Olympic bronze medalist.
“It feels amazing. I whooped that boy in his back yard,” stated Londoner TKV, who had a point deducted for a low blow.
“I knew he was going to hold on, but he started blowing within the first 30 seconds. We are not at the Olympics anymore.”
Clarke, a podium finisher at Tokyo 2020, suffered only the second loss of his professional career. At 35, his future path remains uncertain.
For TKV, this marks the most significant triumph of his career in his 11th professional fight.
The 32-year-old exited the ring with the prestigious British heavyweight title, joining a celebrated lineage that includes boxing legends such as Henry Cooper, Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.
While Clarke experienced some early success, TKV, who received repeated warnings for low blows, finished the stronger of the two.
A spirited crowd of around 3,500 filled the arena, with TKV met by jeers during his ring walk. Conversely, ‘Big Fraze’, hailing from nearby Burton-upon-Trent, received an enthusiastic welcome.
To the delight of the fans, Clarke asserted himself in the opening round, landing sharp jabs to the body and stinging uppercuts that visibly troubled TKV.
However, the Tottenham native, whose family history is compelling with his father and grandfather both having served in the Zairean army, displayed resilience and settled into the contest.
Originally scheduled for October, the bout was postponed due to a rib injury sustained by TKV. The delay heightened tensions between the fighters, impacting what had previously been a respectful rivalry.
Clarke’s corner voiced frequent complaints regarding low blows from TKV, some landing outside the referee’s immediate view, leading to a warning in the third round. Shortly after, another borderline blow resulted in a point deduction for TKV.
Jabs were infrequent, replaced by clinches from Clarke and leaning from TKV, with lunging, telegraphed punches marking the action.
TKV found success with his left hook and Clarke with his uppercut, but both fighters absorbed the blows with apparent ease.
Just as the fight seemed to be losing momentum, TKV, his right eye severely swollen, unleashed a left hook that staggered Clarke in the 11th round.
Clarke remained upright by leaning on TKV, appearing disoriented as the referee moved in for a closer assessment.
His coach, Angel Fernandez, seemed poised to stop the fight, but Clarke insisted on continuing.
Clarke left the ring without conducting a post-fight interview, still appearing shaken.
‘Zaire president killed my grandad and targeted my dad’ – TKV’s family story
TKV defeats Clarke by split decision to claim British title – reaction
This video can not be played
Francesca Hennessy (right) went 10 rounds for the first time as a professional
In the co-main event, English bantamweight Francesca ‘Billion Dollar Baby’ Hennessy improved her perfect record to 7-0 with a dominant points victory over former atomweight world champion Fabiana Bytyqi.
Following a memorable ring walk that included a choreographed performance with a dance troupe, Hennessy, 21, displayed sharp footwork, precise shot selection, and fluid combinations.
She found considerable success targeting the body of the 29-year-old Czech fighter, a former atomweight world titleholder, with all three judges awarding every round to Hennessy.
“BDB (Billion Dollar Baby) on the BBC, let’s go, baby,” the Kent fighter exclaimed, before calling out former bantamweight world champion Shannon Courtenay.
Clarke, TKV, and Hennessy each contributed to what could prove to be a pivotal evening for British boxing.
While the card may not have featured a world title fight or a widely recognized name, the accessibility of free-to-air television has the potential to engage new fans, inspire young people to join gyms, and elevate the sport in ways that pay-per-view boxing may struggle to achieve.
The long-term impact remains to be seen, but if the evening results in even a few more children walking into their local boxing club on Monday, it will have left a positive mark.
Boxing schedule and results 2025
Watch every Born to Brawl episode
Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport
Comments can not be loaded
To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser