Five weeks after their original October 25 billing, Frazer Clarke and Jeamie TKV will finally face off for the vacant British heavyweight title in Derby this weekend.

Olympic bronze medallist Clarke (9-1-1, 7 KOs) is the overwhelming pre-fight favourite (-500) and there are multiple reasons why.

Chief among them is perhaps the mixed emotions and invaluable experience gained from his two-fight series with newly-minted WBO world heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley.

At last month's inaugural press conference, the 34-year-old didn't hesitate when reflecting on a humbling chapter in his career many contemporaries wouldn't be so keen to revisit.

"The first was a classic, second one I got chinned," he said. "You go from being on a high of potentially winning the British title to being dismantled in a round, just shows the epic swings - but it's how you pick yourself up from those lows."

Many felt Clarke had done enough to edge their thrilling first encounter, but a point deduction in round seven for repeated low blows proved costly on the scorecards.

No-one foresaw Wardley's scary first-round knockout coming, especially after the back-and-forth nature of the 12 rounds preceding it seven months earlier. Clarke's unbeaten record was spectacularly spoiled and suddenly BOXXER promoter Ben Shalom's original reticence to put him in this fight so early was more justifiable in hindsight.

British journalists in Riyadh that night frantically searched for an update on Clarke's condition as the card headlined by Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol continued, though the aftereffects could've been much worse but for fast-acting care and medical attention.

Cleared for a return to full training barely three months after surgery from a broken jaw, the slow rebuild began. How long did it take him though, to come to terms with such a vicious defeat?

"Instantly. Obviously after the initial shock wears off, you look at the mistakes made - I know what I did wrong - it's about altering them," he told The Ring.

"I went back to the gym slowly over time, then just drilling months and months of working to alter it so that doesn't happen again. That's my job as a fighter, always be learning, maintain discipline, stick to what you know but put the work in. It's time to show it."

Clarke has maintained a burning desire to stay active, for better or worse, though his one-round blowout of Ebenezer Tetteh in April on the Ben Whittaker-Liam Cameron II undercard didn't teach us anything.

Seven months later he's back, on the same night as his Olympic medallist teammate, this time headlining separate shows for different promotions. Clarke could've easily left BOXXER and Shalom, as some have recently, but the loyalty he's shown heavily-criticised trainer Angel Fernandez has extended to the man who signed him entering the paid ranks.

"I've been on the phone hurling abuse at people because I want to fight, it's my living," he says. "It's not hard going to the gym - I love it - the problem is putting in effort without light at the end of the tunnel, it's hard on the body and mind, not to mention all the sacrifices.

"Enough persistence, prodding and poking got me what I needed, and it's finally here."

He can sense the next question and preemptively goes to bat for his coach.

"Angel is a teacher," Clarke adds. "He's hard on me but since Richard [Riakporhe] left the gym, I've had a lot more time with him and it's like any athlete-coach relationship, he works me hard, gets a bit of a bad rap but is a very good coach, otherwise I wouldn't be with him.

"I've been around the sport long enough to know a good coach from a bad one, he has his faults - we all do - but he's learning himself, is a very knowledgeable teacher, it's not about losing and leaving your trainer. You have to look inwardly, self-critique and what happened in the second Fabio fight, that's on no-one else but me."

So what makes Fernandez so good?

"He's so good at breaking things down, teaching me new techniques, mindset is a big thing and some relationships ... people just don't understand," he says. "They don't have to, as long as I do, that's all that matters. The boxing world is a very bitchy place, a lot of people talk, but I'll just say don't worry about us - we're doing our jobs."

Speak to him away from the cameras he's jovial but Tottenham's Tshikeva (8-2, 5 KOs) has willingly played the aggressor, still seething from being deemed a stepping stone by Clarke as he watched him ringside against Jake Darnell three years ago.

Clarke has been candid previously about how his ceiling is above achieving the prestigious Lonsdale belt, otherwise he wouldn't have continued to box.

How does he compartmentalise those feelings, when he's still hanging at this level aged 34 while others - like former opponent Dave Allen - are getting world-level opportunities?

"I never thought he was [a stepping stone], just throwing shade," Clarke admits.

"I saw a quote the other day that said 'slowly is the fastest way to success' and it makes real sense, it's all part of the journey. I'm arriving where I need to be at the right time, all the trials and tribulations, this life isn't easy - there will be ups and downs - but as long as you dig deep when it gets tough, keep going along, that's all you can do."