Professional boxer Viviane Obenauf is in a difficult predicament. The 34-year-old just got married this January, but she is now the prime suspect in her husband's murder. Her husband, named Thomas, was reportedly found dead in an apartment they shared in Interlaken, Switzerland.
Even worse, the death looked to be grisly. Thomas was maliciously beaten, likely with a blunt object. Viviane, a two-division challenger, is now in custody in Switzerland.
One big thing to note about their relationship is their age difference. Viviane's deceased husband was 61 at the time of his death. Viviane has since undergone a severe investigation. Not only did police look at her home, but they also looked at the gym that she personally owns.
Viviane, who was born in 1986, reportedly made her boxing debut back in 2014. She was also trained in gymnastics, proving that sports have been a big part of her life since she was young. As a boxer, she's won an incredible number of matches and has been viewed as a young talent to watch.
Husband Thomas owned a restaurant called Des Alpes, located in Interlaken. It's unclear how the two met, but they just got married on January 25, 2020. Prior to the death, Viviane once said that she was aiming to become a world champion. In an interview with Blick, she revealed more about her character outside of the ring.
In the interview, which has been translated online, she revealed that "my impatience" was her worst quality. As for the best, she said that "I am versatile." A David Beckham fan, she admits that "a humorous gentleman who is sporty and a loving listener" is her type. She also revealed that getting married was "a good experience."
In the interview, Viviane also revealed that she had a son — which means that, innocent or not, her family will likely be torn up due to these allegations. When asked what her ideal situation would be, she said "a happy and carefree life with my son in Switzerland."
In a separate article, Blick — which featured the young athlete quite a bit — revealed that while Viviane just got married, she had actually been with Thomas for quite some time. "In 2008 she met her husband on a trip to Europe, she stayed, and in 2011 her son Calvin was born," the translated site stated. "After the birth, Obenauf began boxing again, this time seriously, becoming a Swiss amateur champion and finally a professional."
In the ring, Viviane was known best as "Golden Girl." One of her main goals was to empower other women to become independent. In fact, she told Tribuna De Minas, as translated, "I want to show women that they can guide their lives. Many are carried away by men, are so dependent that they do not do what they want. I met many young women who find everything very difficult in life."
She also once believed in kindness toward her opponents. In that same interview, Viviane said, "I was always very feminine. People see me differently too. Even in the ring, before the fight, I get close to my opponents, I talk, I shake hands. Everyone is always angry. We even see female policemen on the street, I think it's so beautiful. Women are no longer cooking at home."
While Viviane hasn't been proven guilty yet, she has built up a reputation for getting violent when angry. During her 30th birthday, she was groped while out celebrating at a bar with friends. She responded to this by punching the man directly in the face.
While she was clearly defending herself, the amount of force she used caused her to be arrested. This event happened in October of 2016, just months after she opened her own gym. The punch was unrelated, but it showcases that as a person, she's not afraid to use force if something comes up.
Unluckily for Viviane, an ex reportedly went on record to talk about her temper. MeAww reported that the ex contacted local media to explain what she was like in person. According to him, her temperament was like "flicking a switch." He also wasn't afraid to admit that Viviane had gotten physical with him before.
"It was Good Friday, and for once we wanted to drink some red wine to celebrate the day," he said. Supposedly, Viviane felt angered over the fact that her ex, a bricklayer, had made contact with a female coworker. "She hit me directly in the face with her fist about three or four times," he said. "Then I heard that she was getting dressed in the bedroom."
"I told her that in her condition she would certainly no longer be able to drive," he continued. "She hit me directly in the face three or four times with her fist. I gave her a slap in the face to bring her down. Then she slowly calmed down and went to sleep. I wanted to get her to lose her boxing license. It was dangerous, and I asked myself: 'What will happen to the next one?'"
The publication also talked to someone who gave a speech at the couple's wedding in January, who seems to think that Viviane is innocent of the crime. "I knew both of them very well and the death has shocked me," he said. "I was a little skeptical [about their marriage] but when I got to know [him], I knew, 'this is [the right] man.' We celebrated in a hotel on Lake Thun and they were both very happy. She is a sensitive soul — this loss will sadden her incredibly. On the outside, she will take what has happened with composure."
Officials are still trying to put the pieces together and figure out what happened, but no matter what, Viviane's life is going to change forever. Without a partner and with many assuming she's a killer, her life won't be the same. Hopefully soon, the truth will reveal itself — and Viviane will give some answers as to what exactly happened that night.
