Tackie Is Back

Las Vegas, NV: Returning from several months of obscurity, Accra, Ghana's Ben Tackie proved that his punch and determination have not gone the way of the Dodo.

Oklahoma City's Jonathan Nelson found that out the hard way. Tackie fought like he normally does; patiently stalking his opponent and finding a way to land the lethal hand grenades he is famous for. Nelson tried to fend off the aggressive Tackie, but just before the bell sounded to end the opening round, a Tackie overhand right dropped him. Nelson was able to beat the count, but with the way he was felled by what was a relatively meager punch, it was written on the walls that the fight would end well before the distance.

Tackie wasted little time in disposing of his foe, as a feinted left hand followed by a crushing straight right sent Nelson halfway through the ropes. Referee Jay Nady waived off his count after he reached "three," awarding Tackie with a quick, relatively effortless knockout victory. The win catapulted Tackie's record to 25-5 with 16 KOs and keeps him on the bubble for a title shot in one of boxing's hottest divisions; welterweight. The loss, by the way, drops Nelson to 10-9 with 10 KOs.

So with the win, does Tackie still have what it takes to win it all? After watching this match, that answer certainly cannot be answered. Tackie has only lost to the elite fighters of his division, so why would that change if he lands a title shot against a Cory Spinks or even a rematch with Kostya Tszyu? But first things first; Tackie needs a few more wins to keep his positive streak alive and he must score a win or two against some upper level fighters. While Nelson is certainly not among those ranks, it is a step in a positive direction.