Frazer Clarke is planning on using this weekend’s British heavyweight title fight with Jeamie TKV as a springboard to bigger things.

On Saturday night, Clarke (9-1-1, 7 KOs) will fight TKV (8-2, 5 KOs) for the vacant belt at Vaillant Live in Derby. The fight will be broadcast terrestrially on BBC Two.

In October 2024, Clarke was viciously knocked out in the opening round of his rematch with Fabio Wardley. Seven months earlier, the two engaged in a memorable 12 round draw but the anticipated return was over before it had really begun.

Since that brutally short night in Saudi Arabia, Wardley has scored dramatic stoppages of Justis Huni and Joseph Parker and now sits proudly as the WBO heavyweight champion.

Clarke, 34, recovered from his injuries and got back to winning ways with a quick but confidence boosting win over Ebenezer Tetteh in April. He now gets a third chance to win the British title.

During an appearance on TalkSport, Clarke (9-1-1, 7 KOs) revealed that rather than spending his days wondering about what may have been, he has taken heart from Wardley’s success.

“You have a little sense of that but - in all honesty - there were great lessons. I learned a lot from both of them fights .The second one I learned even more from than the first even though I got the draw,” he said.

“I think in a weird way, Fabio is now part of the inspiration. Look where he's gone in a few fights. He’s gone from me fighting him and he's now the WBO world champion so he's definitely sort of ignited the fire.

“It can happen. It takes a few fights.”

Although he was disappointed to have to settle for a draw after his first fight with Wardley in March of 2024, Clarke proved plenty and earned his respect during a heavyweight war.

He dragged himself up off the canvas in the sixth round and matched Wardley punch for punch from bell to bell. In the rematch he fell foul to the type of sudden, shocking finish that can happen at any moment in the heavyweight division.

Losing to TKV, full name Jeamie Tshikeva, would be extremely difficult to rebound from.

Clarke isn’t allowing himself to consider that possibility. For him, the fight provides him with the ideal opportunity to put himself back into the mix for big fights.

Beating TKV wouldn’t send shockwaves through the division in itself but the British heavyweight title is a prestigious belt and finally winning a significant belt would give his rankings a significant boost.

Clarke will know that finishing 2025 on a winning note is absolutely crucial if he is to enjoy a future at world level.

“There seems to be opportunity, especially in this division. You win this fight and then obviously you have your own things planned but you might just get one of them calls. I’d be fit, I’d be ready for anything really,” he said.

“I know there's a jump but there's the European title you could possibly move on towards. Other than that, you could have an opportunity against a world-ranked fighter on one of the Riyadh season cards. There’s endless possibilities. At the minute, it’s a good time to be a heavyweight I think.”