Gable Steveson may have left the world of sports entertainment behind, but he’s quickly proving that his athletic prowess translates just as well inside a real fight ring.
The Olympic gold medalist and former WWE talent officially launched the next chapter of his combat sports career on Thursday night, stepping into the boxing world for the first time.
Competing at a Dirty Boxing Championship event in Nashville, Tennessee, Steveson made his professional boxing debut against Billy Swanson — a heavyweight competitor with one previous boxing bout to his name and a 4–3 record in mixed martial arts.
Once the opening bell rang, Steveson wasted no time showing the kind of power and explosiveness that made him an Olympic champion. Within mere seconds, he closed the distance, uncorked a thunderous shot, and sent Swanson crashing to the canvas. The referee immediately waved off the contest, with the official time recorded at just 13 seconds of the first round.
The knockout instantly turned heads across the combat sports community, serving as a statement-making debut for Steveson, who has been open about exploring his options outside WWE since departing the company earlier this year.
GABLE STEVESON 13 SECOND KNOCKOUT IN HIS DIRTY BOXING DEBUT!!!! #DBX4 pic.twitter.com/9P7TPGnWGa
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 31, 2025
UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard was in attendance for Gable Steveson’s first round knockout at #DBX4
“Mick, you’ve seen a little bit. I’d love to show a lot more.” 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/TFdye0CRI0
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 31, 2025
