Beethoven's Forgotten First Career

[PDG]

No one ever seems to mention Beethoven's first career - as a boxer.

Always a promising amateur, it was his pushy father who convinced him to turn pro at the very young age of 13. Beethoven jnr won most of his bouts inside the distance and quickly established for himself the nickname, "The Bonn Bomber". His hero was Muhammed Ali and he would imitate the American by predicting in which rondo each fight would end; and he mocked his opponents: "Those cattle, those asses".

Beethoven was renowned for his ability to improvise on the spot and he would dazzle opponents with his quick hand movements and Hammerklavier blow. He tended to grow stronger as each fight progressed, famously peaking in the 9th - his final fight. It is thought that a punch to the side of the head ended his career and brought on his later deafness.

So famous was he as a boxer that statues of him can be seen all over Germany and Austria.

[Peter]

Muss es sein? Es muss sein! April 1st!

[Michael]

I always suspected that Beethoven was moonlighting as a boxer. Did he ever meet Wagner in the ring?

[Sorrano]

Beethoven jnr won most of his bouts inside the distance and quickly established for himself the nickname, "The Bonn Bomber". His hero was Muhammed Ali and he would imitate the American by predicting in which rondo each fight would end; and he mocked his opponents: "Those cattle, those asses".

And here I thought those epithets were only reserved for royalty.

[Joy]

Ha! Good day for this. The custom of April Fool's Day started in the beginning of the 18th century. Wonder if Beethoven knew about it, he probably would have liked it!

[Zevy]

He inherited the title from the previous heavyweight champion - Moe Tzartt (Groan)

[Michael]

He inherited the title from the previous heavyweight champion - Moe Tzartt (Groan)

He probably gave him a good haydn.

[Agnes Selby]

Beethoven

I am so glad I visited this site today. Thank you all, you
have given me a good laugh. I love all these April 1st entries
without exception.

Regards,
Agnes.

[PDG]

Bruiser Beethoven's most notorious contest was against Freddie "Chopper" Chopin, who insisted the fight take place in Warsaw otherwise his heart just wouldn't be in it.

[Peter]

Bruiser Beethoven's most notorious contest was against Freddie "Chopper" Chopin, who insisted the fight take place in Warsaw otherwise his heart just wouldn't be in it.

Yes and wasn't he black key Liszted on that occasion?

[PDG]

Interesting about "Frankie Boy" Liszt. He never successfully challenged The Greatest because he spent too much time standing back and admiring his opponent's moves, instead of developing his own ideas.

[Salvador]

Hi all!

I think you are wrong,
according to Wikipedia Beethoven was'nt a boxer, he was a wrestler (see historic figures in order of episode appearence)

[Peter]

Interesting about "Frankie Boy" Liszt. He never successfully challenged The Greatest because he spent too much time standing back and admiring his opponent's moves, instead of developing his own ideas.

I'm not so sure about that - a certain Wag stole a thing or two from old Mephistopholes (I prefer his traditional name), who by all accounts put himself about rather a lot (in more than one sense!), though he met his match with Sandy boy George and Lola M.