Heavyweight Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikeva Surprises Clarke to Claim UK Championship

Boxing match action

Underdog TKV stunned Clarke in the 11th round before claiming the UK heavyweight championship on judges' decision

Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikeva beat Clarke by divided verdict to secure the UK heavyweight championship on a significant evening for the sport, as live professional boxing came back to free-to-air television for the first time in two decades

It was far from a display of technical skill at Derby Vaillant Live arena, with frequent holding and holding, but the bout exploded when TKV stunned Frazer Clarke with a heavy left hook in the eleventh stanza

A shocked Clarke somehow stayed on his feet and stumbled back to his coaches

With his corner ready to throw in the towel unless he showed improvement, Clarke insisted he could carry on and valiantly survived the last round

The judges saw it 115-113 and one fifteen to one twelve for TKV, while the third judge scored 115-112 for Olympic medal winner Clarke

"It's unbelievable I dominated that boy in his territory," Londoner Jeamie Tshikeva, who was lost a point for a low blow, declared

"I was aware he was going to grab, but he started breathing heavily within the first 30 seconds We are not at the Olympic Games anymore"

Jeamie Tshikeva Comes On Strong to Surprise Clarke

Boxing match action

Clarke had some success at the start but Jeamie Tshikeva - who was frequently admonished for low blows - came on strong in the final stages

Approximately 3,500 enthusiastic crowd crowded the compact venue, jeering TKV on his entrance

'Big Fraze', from nearby Burton-upon-Trent, got a rousing reception in return

Much to the crowd's pleasure, he established dominance in the opening round, throwing a straight punch to the torso before ripping in sharp upward punches that obviously bothered Jeamie Tshikeva

But the fighter from Tottenham - whose family boasts a fascinating history, with both his father and grandfather serving in the military forces of Zaire - displayed his fighting spirit and adapted to the bout

The match had initially been planned for last October before a rib problem compelled TKV out

The delay reignited tensions, damaging a previously respectful competition

Clarke's corner constantly complained about low blows from TKV, some landing on the opposite side of the referee, who gave a admonishment in the third stanza

Moments later, another debatable blow caused Jeamie Tshikeva the penalty point

Straight punches were rare; instead, the fight became clinches from Frazer Clarke and constant leaning from TKV, with overextending, predictable blows breaking up the contest

Jeamie Tshikeva found success with his left hook, and Clarke with his uppercut, but each fighter took the shots as if they were bouncing off concrete

Right when the fight seemed to be petering out, TKV - his right eye badly swollen - detonated a hook that made Clarke stumbling in the 11th round

Frazer Clarke stayed upright only by holding onto TKV, seeming disoriented as the official stepped in for a closer look

His trainer, his coach, looked determined to stopping the fight, but Clarke insisted he carry on

He exited the ring without conducting a post-fight interview, still looking shell-shocked

'Billion Dollar Baby' Performs Well in Impressive Victory

In the chief-support bout, English fighter Francesca 'Billion Dollar Baby' Hennessy increased her winning run to seven wins, no losses with a dominant unanimous decision over former lower weight class title holder Fabiana Bytyqi

Following an impressive walk to the ring including a dance routine together with a group of dancers, Francesca Hennessy, 21, showed sharp footwork, crisp punch selection and seamless combinations

She achieved huge success by focusing on the midsection of the 29-year-old European boxer - who formerly owned a championship belt at atomweight - as every judge awarded the entire fight to Francesca Hennessy

"Billion Dollar Baby on the television, here we go, guys," the southern boxer said, before naming former bantamweight world champion Shannon Courtenay

Clarke, TKV and Francesca Hennessy all played their part in what could be an important evening for UK boxing

Although there was no a world-title fight or a well-known star on the schedule, but free-to-air exposure can reach different audiences, attract young people into training facilities and grow the sport in approaches subscription boxing may have trouble to accomplish

Only time will tell what the true impact will be, but if just a handful more children walk into their community boxing center on Monday, the night will have made its mark

Christopher Evans
Christopher Evans

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in online casinos, specializing in bonus optimization and game strategy.