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Peter Felix (17 July 1892 – 11 November 1996) was a boxer from South Africa.

This article does not cite any sources. (October 2022)

Peter Felix
Statistics
Real name	Peter Felix
Weight(s)	Super Heavyweight
Nationality	South Africa
Born	(1892-07-17)17 July 1892 Cape Town, South Africa
Died	10 November 1996(1996-11-10) (aged 104) Johannesburg, South Africa
Boxing record
Total fights	52
Wins	43
Wins by KO	29
Losses	7
Draws	2

Peter J Felix III was born on 17 July 1892 in Rondebosch, in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, the cosuin of the immortal Peter Jackson, who was in his corner for many of his fights. Felix was tall for his time, standing at 6' 7" tall, and weighing in around 235 pounds. He was said to be a flashy dresser, extravagant and a bit of an extrovert, quite the opposite of the quiet, gentlemanly Jackson. He started his pugilistic career in South Africa in 1910, with a 12th round knock out win over Dan Keeley in Durban. The year of 1912 proved to be one of the most fruitful of his career, with three very impressive points victories over Joe Goddard, and a points victory over Mick Dooley. 1913 saw him defeat Starlight Rollins, beat Mick Dooley in two out of three fights, and beat Dan Keeley for the Victorian Heavyweight title with a 5th round knock out win. The next two years saw him draw with Mick Dooley, Tut Ryan and Bill Doherty. During the depression years of the 1920s, Peter Felix also fought in unofficial bouts in travelling boxing troupe's, which toured the agricultural shows of South Africa, putting on their fights in tents.

Peter Felix fought during WWI which he disrupted his boxing career, and came back severely injured with his left shoulder being permanently dislocated. He also suffered from retina detachment so he was honourably discharged from WWI in 1916 due to medical leave, after fighting for 2 years on the side of the Allies.

His first fight back from the war, he scored a draw with an old and sick Peter Jackson over 25 rounds in Cape Town, then he captured the coveted South African heavyweight champion title, with a 7th round knock out win over Bill Doherty in Pretoria. Prior to this bout, when Doherty had beaten Dooley to win the South African crown. Dooley has been quoted as saying "You’re too good for me, Bill, but I would sooner lose to you than Felix. Keep" - his voice broke and died to almost a whisper – "Keep the championship white". Felix defended his title successfully with a 20-round draw with Doherty, but then lost it to the ubiquitous Doherty via a 20-round points loss. Felix never won the South African title again, though he challenged for it three times, once against Doherty for a points loss in 1919, and twice against world title challenger Bill Lang for two knock out losses in 1920 and 1922 (Felix was 28 years old when he faced Lang).

In Felix's next notable bouts he beat the giant woodchopper Bill Heckenberg with a 2nd round knock out, drew with Arthur Cripps and beat the Maori, George Renaulf on points. Age was starting to catch up with the old warhorse, though he was still fighting in main events. The years of 1924 and 1925 saw him lose inside the distance against world title challengers Bill Squires (3 times) and "Gunner" James Moir. But in 1927 he started to make a comeback - Felix challenged the legendary Jack Johnson for World Colored Heavyweight Championship. Felix knocked him out in 4 rounds.

Felix kept fighting until 1930 (aged 38 years old), though his last real "big time" fight was in 1928 in the very first main event ever held at the Ellis Park Stadium, in Johannesburg (the stadium where Jack Johnson beat Tommy Burns). In this fight he lost on points over 20 rounds to Sid Russell, score 56-44.

Peter Felix retired aged 38 and continued to have 28 kids throughout his lifetime, he died aged 104 in Johannesburg from prostate cancer.

Peter was the 2012 Inductee for the South African National Boxing Hall of Fame Pioneers category.

Professional boxing record

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (October 2014)

External links

• Boxing record for Peter Felix from BoxRec (registration required)

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