Apetz was born on 3 January 1986 in Haan,[2] and started boxing aged 21, whilst studying at the University of Bremen, after being unable to afford to continue riding and playing tennis.

[3][4] After completing her BSc degree in biology in 2009, Apetz moved to Australia for three years, studying for her Master's thesis.

[6][7] She researches at the University Hospital Cologne for her topic of "deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease in old age.

[3] She won a bronze medal at the 2016 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships, having achieved unanimous points decisions over Meena Rani, Timea Nagy, and Naomi Graham before losing to the eventual champion Valentina Khalzova.

[11] At the 2017 Women's European Union Amateur Boxing Championships she won the gold medal,[12] by eliminating Sandy Ryan, Gráinne Walsh and, in the final, Hanna Solecka.