By Malibongwe Tokwe
Champions are not born but rather made by the group of people who dedicate their lives crafting a boy to become a good fighter. Most of the times we hardly hear about the names of those mentors and teachers, simply because glory is for the gladiators themselves, the fighters made.
The veteran Mr Terrance Ace Makaluza is a good example, one of the man who contributed the most in the birth of the sport of boxing in the Eastern Cape, specifically in Port Elizabeth & Uitenhage districts.
Makaluza joined boxing in the dark ages of the early 1960’s, learning to fight in hostels of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, turning into a sweet crafty fighter and winning the SA amateur championships on year 1968 and 1969 respectively.
Nyani Themba is the man who thought Makaluza all the fundamentals of the sport of boxing. He was a hard man who wanted all to be done his way at gym with zero tolerance of mistakes when one is facing the opponent. Makaluza never struggled to get a good sparring in his gym, he worked with the tough Tshume Twins (Ngqika and Phalo), Zim Matikatika, Thomas Mazonke and other good local fighters of the time.
Makaluza’s boxing professional career was rather tough than colorful, as he competed in the era of the great and strong South African fighters.
Oh yes he danced with all of them great fighters of those days, Alfred Buqwana, Tap Tap Makhathini, Happy Boy Mgxaji, Joe Hali, Charlie Wear, Anthony Morodi, Zolile Khonja, Loyiso Mtya and many more. He hanged them gloves with the record of 40 fights, 22 wins, 13 losses and 5 draws.
Ironically, Makaluza’s real boxing career began when he retired as a pro fighter. He contributed majorly in South African boxing, starting as the amateur official, referring and judging the local and international professional fights.
Maliboxing was pleased to catch-up with a great man of boxing, another son of the Eastern Cape, enjoy the interview.
maliboxing.com 