At just 19 years old, Ethan Peters is already hard to miss. Standing 1.98m tall and weighing 107kg, the towering youngster looks every bit the heavyweight prospect South African boxing has been waiting for. Yet, despite his size, Peters is soft-spoken and reserved, —a quiet giant whose actions in the ring speak louder than words.
“I’ve always loved boxing,” he says simply, reflecting on a passion that has carried him through 11 amateur fights, all victories, including the South African super heavyweight title.
With limited opportunities in the amateur ranks, Peters decided to turn professional. Legendary fighter Brian Mitchell, who had been searching for a heavyweight prospect for years, was delighted when Ethan’s father Greg reached out. “When Greg called, I knew this was something special,” Mitchell recalls. “We had a cup of coffee, and from that moment, I could see Ethan had the right temperament.”
Peters’ journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Before his first amateur bout, he sparred with former SA heavyweight champion Sean Potgieter and was soundly handled. “I got pounded,” Ethan admits with a wry smile. “But instead of discouraging me, it made me want to get better.”
Today, he more than holds his own against Potgieter and fellow prospect Juan Alberts, his stiff jab and lanky style drawing comparisons to Tyson Fury. “He’s got a great jab, a real weapon,” Mitchell says. “And like Fury, he’s got the work ethic and hunger to learn.”
Outside the ring, Peters sharpens his mind with chess, often playing against Ricardo Malajika, who has beaten him several times. “Chess keeps me thinking,” Ethan explains. “It’s about strategy, just like boxing.”
The parallel isn’t lost on observers; the Klitschko brothers were also avid chess players.
Unlike many teenagers, Peters avoids parties and the rough crowd. “I want to be a role model in my community,” he says. Still living at home with his parents, he insists he has no vices. “Boxing is my focus. I don’t want distractions.”
At Emperors Palace on November 29, Peters makes his professional debut against a fellow newcomer from Cape Town. He’s eager to get started, with ambitions of four or five fights in his first year and a long-term dream of becoming heavyweight champion. “Fans can expect something very different,” he promises.
Mitchell is equally optimistic: “Ethan has the size, the jab, and the mindset. He’s the kind of fighter who can carry South African heavyweight boxing into a new era.”
For now, Peters remains the quiet giant, calm, disciplined, and determined. But come fight night, the silence will give way to thunder.
