Punchers from the Past: Elijah “Tap Tap” Makhathini

Name: Elijah “Tap Tap” Makhathini
Born: 3 October 1942 Habeni, South Africa
Career: 1971 to 1980
Record: 62 fights, 47 wins (22 by KO/TKO), 13 losses (3 by KO/TKO), 2 draws.
Division: Middleweight
Stance: Southpaw
Titles: Natal Non-White middleweight, South African Non-White middleweight, South African middleweight.
Major Contests
Scored wins over: Curtis Cokes **, Sydney Young Hoho, Joseph Sishi (twice), Willie Warren (twice), Billy Douglas, Juarez de Lima, Emile Griffith **, Jan Kies (twice), Maxwell Malinga (twice), Charlie Weir*, Gary Guiden*,
Lost To: Sydney Young Hoho (twice), Maxwell Malinga, David Love, Doug Lumley (three times), Gert Steyn, Alfredo Horacio Cabral
Drew with: Joseph Sishi (twice)
**Past/ future holder of a version of a world title
* Unsuccessful challenger for a version of a world title
Elijah Makhathini’s Story
Elijah Makhathini made history in South African boxing when he faced Jan Kies for the South African middleweight title in November 1976. It was the first time a black and a white boxer had fought for a national title. Makhathini was the Non-White champion and Kies the White South African champion although during apartheid Kies had been described as “the” South African champion. In a battle of southpaws Makhathini, feared for the power in his left hook, floored Kies three times and the fight was stopped in the third round with Makhathini becoming the first black boxer to become undisputed champion of South Africa.
*** See notes at end of profile showing that Makhathini was involved in three different events on the road to the erosion and final elimination of segregation in South African boxing as described by leading South African journalist Ron Jackson.

The future history maker Makhathini was born in the rural countryside area of Habeni and it was his grandfather who introduced him to boxing. There were no facilities available and Makhathini had to make do with a home made punchbag filled with mud. Seeking work at the age of 22 Makhathini moved first to Shakaskraal in KwaZulu-Natal Province and then to Stanger ( now know as KwaDukuza) and there he found work but more importantly he found a gym and a team of boxers and at 24 was able to enter boxing tournaments for the first time. Due to the need for regular work and the lack of opportunities’ for black sportsmen it was five years before Makhathini turned professional.
In February 1971 he stopped Phutuma Khuboni in five rounds and scored eleven more wins that year before drawing with more experienced Joseph Sishi. He advanced quickly and faced his first big name fighter when he outpointed former welterweight champion Curtis Cokes in September 1972 and took his record to 19-0-1 before losing on points to champion Sydney Young Hoho in a challenge for the South African Non White title in October 1972. He suffered another loss in December 1972 when he fought Maxwell Malinga for the Natal Non-White title. The year 1973 saw him score consecutive wins over veteran American Wille Warren. He followed that up in December 1973 with a points victory over Billy Douglas, the father of James Buster Douglas who would kayo Mike Tyson in 1990. Makhathini’s profile was growing but it was swings and roundabouts. He lost on a cut against Young Hoho in a title fight, beat useful Brazilian Juarez de Lima and lost to British novice Carl Speare. From that low point he then in June 1975 decisioned a fading but not finished thirty-seven-year-old Emile Griffith. He won the vacant South African Non White title in April 1976 but lost to David Love in June 1976 then in November scored his history making victory over Jan Kies to win the “supreme” title.
Even after his win over Kies there continued to be Non White and White title fights and in early 1977 Makhathini retained the Non White title with wins over Joseph Hali and Morgan Moledi but lost the “supreme” title when he was outpointed Doug Lumley in August and lost on points to Lumley in a return fight in November. It was swings and roundabouts again in 1978 as he scored victories over Kies and Malinga and in Augus knocked out Daniel Mapanya, who had beaten Lumley, to regain win the “Supreme” title. A loss to Gert Steyn in February 1979 was a sign that Makhathini was nearing the end of his career but he again showed his resilience as he knocked out high-flying Charlie Weir in eight rounds in April 1979 with a left hook leaving Weir face down on the canvas and two months later kayoed 28-2 Gary Guiden in the fourth round. Those two impressive wins were the last hurrah for Makhathini. A run of five losses in six fights saw him retire from boxing in May 1980.
Following his retirement, Makhathini moved back to his childhood home in Habeni to open a general store and tavern. He had a small gym behind his store where he worked with some young fighters. He was presented with the Order of Inkhamanga Silver that recognises achievements in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism, and sports an award granted by the President of South Africa.
Makhathini explained his Tap Tap nickname as coming when he turned professional and a friend asked how he was going to handle the aggressive boxers he would find in the paid game, Makhathini took a tape measure and extended out to the extension of his reach and explained that the other fighters would get no closer than that. In his next fight every time Makhathini landed a jab his fans would chant tape, tape, tape and the chant was shortened to tat, tap.
It is good to be able to report that a friend of mine assured me that although now 81 Makhathini is still enjoying life in his little shop/ tavern in Habeni

***On 9 August 1975 American Gil Clancy with special permission from the Government became the first white man to be permitted to second a black man at a black tournament in South Africa when former double world champion Emile Griffith fought Elijah Makhathini at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.
Another important milestone in South Africa boxing was the first multi-national tournament promoted by Maurice Toweel at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on 17 August 1974 when Pierre Fourie fought Tom Bogs, Kokkie Olivier vs Roger Zami, Elijah Makhathini vs Juarez de Lima and Norman Sekgapane vs Jorgen Hansen.
The first two multiracial South African title fights were held at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on 27 November 1976 with Gerrie Coetzee and Elijah ‘Tap Tap’ Makhathini becoming the new undisputed champions. The White middleweight titleholder Jan Kies was stopped in three rounds by Makhathini and the Black heavyweight champion, James Mathatho to was knocked out in the seventh round by Coetzee.