LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The last time Kostya Tszyu fought he won with a spectacular knockout. Against Ben Tackie on Saturday night, he showed he can win impressively going the distance, too.
Fighting for the first time since stopping Zab Judah to win the undisputed 140-pound title, Tszyu put on a boxing exhibition on his way to a 12-round decision over Tackie to retain his three titles.
In a fight that grew repetitive as the rounds went on, Tszyu was simply too good of a boxer for the game challenger to overcome. At times, Tszyu looked more like he was in a relaxed sparring session against the IBF No. 1 ranked challenger than in a real fight.
Tszyu (29-1-1) took few chances, content to jab and box and pile up round after round on the scorecards of the ringside judges.
Tszyu won every round on two of the scorecards, 120-108, and was ahead 119-109 on the third. The Associated Press had Tszyu, a Russian native who lives in Australia, winning 119-109.
Tackie (24-3) was never knocked down in the fight, and never appeared to be in serious trouble. That was largely because Tszyu never seemed to go all out in making the first defense of his IBF, WBC and WBA 140-pound titles.
"The key for me in this fight was to be patient," Tszyu said. "Maybe I should have a new nickname, 'Be Patient.'"
Tszyu had consolidated the titles Nov. 3 with an upset knockout of Judah, who he stopped with a savage right hand in the second round. But it became evident early that the defense against Tackie would be an entirely different type of fight.
Tackie, of Ghana, came into the fight a 5-1 underdog who was known more for his durability than anything else. He showed why as he took jab after jab from Tszyu in a bout that was fought mainly in the center of the ring.
"This was the type of fight I expected," Tszyu said. "I had to watch out for his right hand."
Tackie was impressed.
"Pound for pound, Tszyu really is the best fighter," he said. "I wanted to be more aggressive and pressure him from the get go, but he was just too good."
Tszyu, who weighed the class limit of 140 pounds, was in charge from the opening bell, peppering Tackie with jabs and throwing short combinations to the head. Much of the fight was spent in the center of the ring with Tackie trying hard to catch Tszyu with a good punch but taking a lot of punishment because of it.
Tszyu, who earned $1 million, posed with two of his three title belts draped from his shoulders after the win, and another strapped around his waist.
He said he planned to go home to Australia and rest, but would probably fight one more time this year, likely against another mandatory challenger.
Tackie, 139 1/2, was game and kept after Tszyu, even landing two good right hands in the third round that was his best moment of the fight. But he was not strong enough to overwhelm Tszyu and even with his gloves held high he couldn't stop Tszyu from hitting him all night on the head.
Tackie had one vocal supporter at ringside, though. Democratic strategist James Carville yelled loudly for the challenger throughout the fight.
In another fight, Kuvanych Toygonbayev of Uzbekistan, a late replacement, won a lopsided 10-round decision over veteran Oba Carr in a junior middleweight bout.
Toygonbayev, who replaced Hercules Kyvelos, who was injured in training, won all 10 rounds on one scorecard and nine on the other two.
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The last time Kostya Tszyu fought he won with a spectacular knockout. Against Ben Tackie on Saturday night, he showed he can win impressively going the distance, too.
Fighting for the first time since stopping Zab Judah to win the undisputed 140-pound title, Tszyu put on a boxing exhibition on his way to a 12-round decision over Tackie to retain his three titles.
In a fight that grew repetitive as the rounds went on, Tszyu was simply too good of a boxer for the game challenger to overcome. At times, Tszyu looked more like he was in a relaxed sparring session against the IBF No. 1 ranked challenger than in a real fight.
Tszyu (29-1-1) took few chances, content to jab and box and pile up round after round on the scorecards of the ringside judges.
Tszyu won every round on two of the scorecards, 120-108, and was ahead 119-109 on the third. The Associated Press had Tszyu, a Russian native who lives in Australia, winning 119-109.
Tackie (24-3) was never knocked down in the fight, and never appeared to be in serious trouble. That was largely because Tszyu never seemed to go all out in making the first defense of his IBF, WBC and WBA 140-pound titles.
"The key for me in this fight was to be patient," Tszyu said. "Maybe I should have a new nickname, 'Be Patient.'"
Tszyu had consolidated the titles Nov. 3 with an upset knockout of Judah, who he stopped with a savage right hand in the second round. But it became evident early that the defense against Tackie would be an entirely different type of fight.
Tackie, of Ghana, came into the fight a 5-1 underdog who was known more for his durability than anything else. He showed why as he took jab after jab from Tszyu in a bout that was fought mainly in the center of the ring.
"This was the type of fight I expected," Tszyu said. "I had to watch out for his right hand."
Tackie was impressed.
"Pound for pound, Tszyu really is the best fighter," he said. "I wanted to be more aggressive and pressure him from the get go, but he was just too good."
Tszyu, who weighed the class limit of 140 pounds, was in charge from the opening bell, peppering Tackie with jabs and throwing short combinations to the head. Much of the fight was spent in the center of the ring with Tackie trying hard to catch Tszyu with a good punch but taking a lot of punishment because of it.
Tszyu, who earned $1 million, posed with two of his three title belts draped from his shoulders after the win, and another strapped around his waist.
He said he planned to go home to Australia and rest, but would probably fight one more time this year, likely against another mandatory challenger.
Tackie, 139 1/2, was game and kept after Tszyu, even landing two good right hands in the third round that was his best moment of the fight. But he was not strong enough to overwhelm Tszyu and even with his gloves held high he couldn't stop Tszyu from hitting him all night on the head.
Tackie had one vocal supporter at ringside, though. Democratic strategist James Carville yelled loudly for the challenger throughout the fight.
In another fight, Kuvanych Toygonbayev of Uzbekistan, a late replacement, won a lopsided 10-round decision over veteran Oba Carr in a junior middleweight bout.
Toygonbayev, who replaced Hercules Kyvelos, who was injured in training, won all 10 rounds on one scorecard and nine on the other two.
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