Female boxer arrested on suspicion of beating husband to death

Pro boxer Viviane Obenauf arrested in connection with the murder of her husband. [Photos courtesy]

A former professional boxer who once fought Katie Taylor has been arrested after allegedly clubbing her husband to death.

Brazilian-born Viviane Obenauf, who has fought three times in world title bouts, married her 61-year-old husband in January. Today she stands accused of beating him to death “with a blunt object” in the apartment they shared.

Obenauf, 34, was arrested this week and is currently in investigative custody after the victim died from a "sustained violent assault”.

The victim, whose name is protected by Swiss law, died of "massive injuries" inflicted with a blunt object, Swiss police stated.

Police have been spotted searching a gym owned by Obernauf as well as the couple’s apartment.

Obenauf was born in Rio de Janeiro, and as a youngster she played football and was an Olympic gymnast before turning to boxing at the age of 18.

She was successful in her boxing career, winning 14 fights against six losses, before retiring from the ring last year. In 2016 she fell to a points defeat against Irish ace Taylor in the Bray puncher's second professional fight.

She started working in the hospitality industry in Switzerland after retiring from the sport and then later opened her own gym.

Candles and flowers have been laid outside the entrance of the restaurant the victim owner, the Des Alpes in Interlaken.

A note pinned to the restaurant’s door saying that it would reopen on November 24th has since been removed. Managers cannot yet say when the restaurant will be open again, and the staff has been placed on furlough.