Clarke vs TKV: Underdog Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva hurts Olympian Frazer Clarke in the 11th before points win

Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva beat Frazer Clarke by split-decision to claim the British heavyweight title on a significant night for the sport, as live professional boxing returned to BBC linear television for the first time in two decades.

It was far from a technical showcase at Derby Vaillant Live arena, with frequent grappling and clinching, but the contest sparked into life when TKV rocked Clarke with a heavy left hook in the 11th.

A stunned Clarke somehow stayed upright and staggered back to his corner. With his trainer poised to pull him out unless he responded, Clarke insisted he could continue and bravely fought through the final round.

The judges scored it 115-113 and 115-112 for TKV, while the third judge went 115-112 for Olympic bronze medallist Clarke.

«It feels amazing. I whooped that boy in his back yard,» Londoner TKV, who was deducted a point for a low blow, said.

«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, who reached the podium at Tokyo 2020, suffered the second defeat of his professional career. At 35, the route ahead is unclear.

For TKV, meanwhile, it is the biggest victory of his career in his 11th bout.

The 32-year-old walked out of the ring with the prestigious British heavyweight title – joining a lineage that includes Henry Cooper, Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Around 3,500 vocal fans filled the intimate arena, jeering TKV on his ring walk. ‘Big Fraze’, from nearby Burton-upon-Trent, received a rousing reception in return.

Much to the fans’ delight, he asserted himself in the opening round, snapping a jab to the body before ripping in stinging uppercuts that clearly troubled TKV.

But the Tottenham man – whose family boasts a fascinating history, with both his father and grandfather serving in the Zairean army – showed his fighting spirit and settled into the contest.

The bout had originally been scheduled for October before a rib injury forced TKV out. The postponement reignited tensions, souring a once-respectful rivalry.

Clarke’s corner repeatedly protested low blows from TKV, some drifting in on the blindside of the referee, who issued a warning in the third. Moments later, another borderline shot earned TKV the point deduction.

Jabs were scarce; instead, the fight descended into clinches from Clarke and heavy leaning from TKV, with lunging, telegraphed punches punctuating the action.

TKV found success with his left hook and Clarke with his uppercut, but both men soaked up the shots as if they were bouncing off stone.

Just as the contest seemed to be petering out, TKV – his right eye badly swollen – detonated a left hook that left Clarke reeling in the 11th.

Clarke stayed upright only by leaning into TKV, looking lost as the referee moved in for a closer look.

His coach, Angel Fernandez, looked set on pulling him out, but Clarke insisted on continuing.

He left the ring without giving a post-fight interview, still appearing shell-shocked.

In the chief-support bout, English bantamweight Francesca ‘Billion Dollar Baby’ Hennessy extended her perfect record to 7-0 with a dominant points win over former atomweight world champion Fabiana Bytyqi.

After an eye-catching ringwalk complete with a choreographed routine alongside a dance troupe, Hennessy, 21, displayed sharp footwork, crisp shot selection and fluid combination punching.

She found huge success by targeting the body of the 29-year-old Czech fighter – who previously held a world title at atomweight – as all three judges scored all 10 rounds to Hennessey.

«BDB (Billion Dollar Baby) on the BBC, let’s go, baby,» the Kent fighter said, before calling out former bantamweight world champion Shannon Courtenay.

Clarke, TKV and Hennessy all played their part in what could be an important night for British boxing.

There may not have been a world-title fight or a household name on the bill, but free-to-air exposure can reach new fans, draw young people into gyms and grow the sport in ways boxing on pay-per-view may struggle.

Time will tell what the true impact is, but if even a few more kids walk into their local boxing club on Monday, the night will have made its mark.