Jeamie TKV overcame Frazer Clarke by split decision to capture the vacant British heavyweight belt after a bruising 12-round fight in Derby.
Clarke started aggressively, landing heavy shots early, but TKV gradually grew into the contest and began to impose himself. The contest turned spectacular in the 11th round when TKV landed a thunderous left hook that nearly ended the fight; Clarke somehow made it back to his corner and battled through the final round despite taking heavy punishment and his team nearly having the towel thrown in.
TKV had a point deducted for repeated low blows, but his work over the course of the fight was enough to sway two judges. The official scores read 115-113 and 115-112 in TKV’s favour, with the third judge scoring it 115-112 to Clarke.
Clarke, the Olympic bronze medallist, has now come up short in his third attempt at the British title. After a draw and a defeat to WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley in recent bouts, the 34-year-old faces further questions about his future in the sport following this damaging loss.
Speaking to the BBC after the fight, TKV said: “It feels amazing! I whooped that boy in his back yard. I knew he was going to hold on, but he started blowing within the first 30 seconds. We are not at the Olympics anymore! I knew it was my fight. I even had a point taken off and still won. Of course — we will do it in London this time, maybe at Wembley, but anytime, anywhere.”
The win hands TKV the British heavyweight title and sets up the possibility of a rematch or bigger domestic clashes in the near future.