Big-hitting Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikeva Shocks Clarke to Win British Crown
Underdog TKV damaged Frazer Clarke in the eleventh round before winning the British heavyweight title on points
TKV beat Frazer Clarke by divided verdict to win the UK heavyweight championship on a important night for the boxing, as professional boxing action came back to BBC linear television for the first time in twenty years
It was far from a display of technical skill at Derby Vaillant Live arena, with regular clinch work and holding, but the fight exploded when Jeamie Tshikeva hurt Frazer Clarke with a heavy hook in the 11th stanza
A shocked Frazer Clarke somehow stayed upright and weaved back to his corner
With his corner ready to throw in the towel if he didn't respond, Frazer Clarke insisted he could continue and valiantly survived the last round
The judges scored it 115-113 and one fifteen to one twelve for Jeamie Tshikeva, while the final judge saw it 115-112 for Olympic bronze medallist Clarke
"It feels amazing I dominated my opponent in his hometown," London native Jeamie Tshikeva, who was lost a point for a body shot below the belt, declared
"I was aware he was going to hold on, but he began tiring within the opening half-minute This isn't the Olympics anymore"
TKV Dominates Late to Stun Frazer Clarke
Frazer Clarke had early success at the start but Jeamie Tshikeva - who was repeatedly warned for low blows - finished strong in the later rounds
Approximately 3,500 vocal fans crowded the compact venue, jeering Jeamie Tshikeva on his walk to the ring
Frazer Clarke, from nearby Burton, received a loud cheer in reply
To the fans' delight, he established dominance in the opening round, snapping a jab to the midsection before throwing stinging uppercuts that definitely hurt TKV
But the fighter from Tottenham - whose family boasts a fascinating history, with both his father and grandad working in the military forces of Zaire - demonstrated his fighting spirit and adapted to the bout
The bout had originally been set for October before a rib injury forced Jeamie Tshikeva to pull out
The postponement stirred up bad blood, damaging a previously respectful competition
Clarke's corner constantly complained about illegal shots from TKV, some drifting in on the blindside of the referee, who issued a admonishment in the third
Shortly after, another debatable blow resulted in Jeamie Tshikeva the point deduction
Jabbing were rare; instead, the fight turned into clinches from Frazer Clarke and heavy leaning from Jeamie Tshikeva, with lunging, obvious blows punctuating the contest
Jeamie Tshikeva was effective with his hook, and Frazer Clarke with his upward blow, but both men absorbed the blows as if they were hitting a wall
Right when the bout seemed to be petering out, Jeamie Tshikeva - his eye heavily swollen - threw a left hand that made Clarke staggering in the eleventh stanza
Clarke stayed upright only by clinging to TKV, seeming disoriented as the official stepped in for a inspection
His coach, Angel Fernandez, looked set on throwing in the towel, but Frazer Clarke demanded to carry on
He left the boxing ring without conducting a post-match comments, still looking stunned
'Billion Dollar Baby' Performs Well in Dominant Victory
In the chief-support bout, British fighter Francesca 'Billion Dollar Baby' Hennessy increased her perfect record to 7-0 with a commanding points win over ex lower weight class world champion Fabiana Bytyqi
Following an eye-catching walk to the ring including a dance routine alongside a group of dancers, Francesca Hennessy, 21, demonstrated precise movement, crisp choice of punches and smooth punch combinations
She found huge success by targeting the midsection of the 29-year-old European boxer - who previously held a world championship at a lower weight class - as all three judges gave the entire fight to Hennessey
"BDB on the television, let's do this, everyone," the fighter from Kent stated, before calling out former bantamweight world champion her potential next opponent
Frazer Clarke, TKV and Francesca Hennessy each contributed in what could be an important evening for UK boxing
Although there was no a world-title fight or a household name on the bill, but broadcast availability can connect with new fans, draw teenagers into gyms and expand the boxing in approaches subscription boxing may have trouble to manage
The future will show what the real effect will be, but if even a few more children enter their neighborhood gym on the following day, the event will have had an impact