Jamie Tshikeva (TKV) was crowned the new British heavyweight champion after a gruelling, gut-wrenching contest against hometown favourite Frazer Clarke at the Vaillant Arena in Derby on 29th November 2025, with the judges returning a split decision verdict of 115–112, 115–113 and 112–115 in favour of the Tottenham man.

Broadcast live on BBC Two as part of Boxxer’s return to terrestrial television, the fight for the vacant Lonsdale Belt delivered everything the capacity Derby crowd had hoped for — and considerably more. Two big men, both north of 260 lbs and standing at 6’4″ and 6’6″ respectively, engaged in the sort of attritional, heavyweight warfare that will linger long in the memory.

Clarke, the Olympic bronze medallist fighting on home soil, imposed himself immediately. The Burton fighter used his physical authority to control the opening exchanges, pressing Tshikeva onto the ropes and targeting the body with disciplined hooks that appeared to drain his opponent’s energy reserves. It seemed as though the fight might follow the script Clarke’s corner had written.

Tshikeva, however, is nothing if not durable. The Londoner — who had been handed a second opportunity at the title following David Adeleye’s failure to defend it — gradually clawed his way back into contention. His work on the inside grew increasingly sharp, short uppercuts lifting Clarke’s chin and catching the referee’s eye. A point deduction for low blows threatened to derail his ambitions, yet he refused to buckle.

The contest swung dramatically over the championship rounds. Clarke found renewed energy in the eighth, backing Tshikeva up and shaking him for the first time in the contest. Yet the defining moment arrived in the penultimate round when Tshikeva unleashed a sustained assault that had Clarke clinging on desperately, his corner’s towel hovering ominously at ringside. Clarke somehow survived on instinct alone, summoning a remarkable counter late in the round that briefly turned the tide.

The final three minutes were extraordinary. Both men were running on empty, trading blows through sheer willpower rather than any remaining technical clarity. Clarke absorbed a thunderous right hand that buckled his legs with barely twenty seconds remaining, yet still found the resolve to hold on.

When the cards were read, Tshikeva had done enough. The point deduction proved immaterial. He had outworked Clarke across the championship rounds, and two of the three ringside judges agreed.

It was a performance that vindicated the faith shown in Tshikeva after his earlier title misfortune, and he can reflect with considerable pride on claiming the Lonsdale Belt at the highest level of domestic boxing.

In a fight that asked profound questions of both competitors, it was ultimately Jamie Tshikeva who answered them most convincingly — though Frazer Clarke, beaten but unbowed on his own patch, will know he pushed the new champion to his absolute limit across 36 remarkable minutes of heavyweight combat.