For Jeamie TKV, his British heavyweight title showdown with Frazer Clarke is three years in the making.

It was not so much about the belt for TKV, full name Jeamie Tshikeva, but rather the chance to make Clarke pay for what he said on live TV. Now the 31-year-old has been handed the chance to do so when he faces Clarke at Valliant Live in Derby, England on October 25 in the main event of Boxxer’s first show on BBC Two.

It has been a long time coming for London’s TKV, who traces the start of his issue with the Olympic bronze medalist back to June 2022. He had just moved to 2-0 as a professional and, having won his debut on points three months earlier, had done so via the first stoppage of his career when a crunching right hand sent Jake Darnell down and out with 13 seconds left of the first round.

It felt like a job done well for the newbie pro from Tottenham, but Clarke did not seem impressed when interviewed about the performance as part of the Sky Sports broadcast.

“I still remember what he said in that interview,” TKV tells The Ring. “He just dismissed me on TV. I’d just knocked out my opponent – the same opponent he had boxed, too. They asked him, ‘What do you think of Jeamie?’ At the time, Clarke was coming off an injury and he said he would use me as a tune-up. I found that very disrespectful.

“Really, I’ve been coming for Frazer Clarke since then. This is three years in the making. It cooled down a little bit with us both on separate paths, but now we’re fighting, so it’s back on.”

TKV has not boxed since his controversial stoppage defeat to David Adeleye in April. That night, he was initially dropped by a left hook immediately after referee Ron Kearney had appeared to move one of his arms out of the way.

Adeleye went on to force a stoppage moments later, but given the fight was for the vacant British heavyweight title, the British Boxing Board of Control ordered an immediate rematch between the pair after a contentious ending.

However, when Adeleye decided to relinquish the belt and face Filip Hrgovic instead, the BBBofC ordered TKV and Clarke to fight for the vacant strap.

“The thing is, I’m still fighting for the British title, which is the key for me,” he said. “Adeleye didn’t want the rematch and went onto different things, but I’ve remained mandatory. I think Adeleye knew it was getting tough for him that night, so pulled that one. He did that deliberately, heard the ref say ‘break’ and saw him pull my arm. He took advantage of that.

“He tried his luck and it worked. What happened doesn’t annoy me now, but it does annoy me he didn’t want the rematch. I wanted to put that right and if he was a man of his word he would have taken it. But he hasn’t and I am now just focusing on what is in front of me.”

TKV is just one in a clutch of heavyweights who currently train under Ben Davison and Barry Smith in their Harlow, Essex facility. October 25 will be a busy night for the gym given that another of their fighters, Fabio Wardley, is also in action.

While TKV and Clarke clash in Derby, Wardley takes on Joseph Parker 150 miles south at London’s O2 Arena.

“When Fabio told me his fight was going to be the same day I was shocked,” TKV said. “But we have an opportunity to make a different play. It will be a different audience on the BBC, so we can try to take advantage of that. It’s a blessing. I believe everything happens for a reason, so I can never fault anything. It’s good that me and Fabio are fighting on the same night, both peaking at the same time and we will definitely get some rounds in.

“We are both right-handed and are both facing right-handed opponents. He helped me for the Adeleye fight and I helped him for the Justis Huni fight. This time we are fighting on the same day, so it’s only right we do it again.”