Tackie wins NABF super lightweight title

LEDYARD, Conn. (AP) -- Ghana's Ben Tackie won the fringe NABC super lightweight title Friday night, outpointing Ray Oliveira of New Bedford, Mass., at the Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Tackie (23-2) went 12 rounds for only the second time in his career. The 28-year-old boxer lost a 12-round decision to Goyo Vargas for the WBC Continental Americas lightweight title in 1999.

Tackie won the 12th round on all three judges' cards, which enabled him to pull out the victory.

Oliveira (42-8-1) won the NABF title last December when he outpointed Vince Phillips.

Oliveira, 32, had won 13 fights in a row. He hadn't lost since dropping a decision to Vernon Forrest in a WBC Continental Americas welterweight title bout in 1997.

Tackie, who came into the fight with 14 knockouts and the reputation for being a one-punch knockout artist, was the aggressor from the opening bell. Relying primarily on his right hand, he landed power punches throughout the bout. He almost scored a one-punch knockout in the 12th round.

Just seconds into the round, Tackie landed a short right hand that stunned Oliveira, whose knees buckled. But Oliveira recovered and ended up making the final round a competitive one.

In the third round, Tackie landed three consecutive right hands to Oliveira's head. Oliveira, who has never been knocked out, took some steps back but never wobbled under Tackie's constant pressure until the final round.

Oliveira's best sequence came in the 10th round. He threw a flurry of punches near the end of the round that had Tackie backpedaling to the ropes. Tackie went on to lose the 11th round on all three judges cards before pulling out the 12th and decisive round.