But that has not stopped the 41-year-old Otago Daily Times advertising sales manager from wanting more. She may be tempted to continue the discipline after beating Anna Esquilant (23) in a split decision after three rounds.
''I'm absolutely knackered. It was huge, it was absolutely awesome and I'm still buzzing,'' Mrs Stevens said yesterday.
She could not remember much of her fight, but knows it was hard, intense and exhausting.
After the first round she questioned whether she would be able to get through the next two.
''I was like: `Where am I going to get the energy to carry on?' They were only two-minute rounds, but they were the longest two minutes of my life.''
Mrs Stevens was one of 22 fighters who went through 17 weeks of intense preparation with Dunedin trainers Ryan Henry and Eldon Clifton to compete at the Lion Foundation Arena in a fundraiser for the Otago Community Hospice.
The other winners were: Tama Walker (v Robert Stout), Megan Morris (v Sonia McGregor), Wayne Griffiths (v Saul Ross), Leah Hanan (v Aimee Edwards), Grant Williams (v Neville Haua), Suzanne Edington (v Marnie Sime), Mark McHutchon (v Stuart Henderson), Hamish McDonald (v Phil Todd), Karl Sefton (v Nick Eathorne) and Richard Anderson (v Andrew Fraser).
The main and silent auctions raised $22,000, which would kick-start the hospice's financial year.
Hospice chief executive Ginny Green was delighted with the efforts and kind donations for the auctions.
Items which took the 1000-strong crowd's attention were Ben Smith's All Black rugby jersey ($2600), an RJB designer suit ($2600) and a vasectomy ($1000).
Mrs Stevens, no stranger to hard work and fitness, said the Southern Showdown experience was a different level to what she had experienced.
''It was one of the hardest things I have done. I was so far outside my comfort zone,'' she said. Despite the countless hours she had put into training in the ring, Mrs Stevens admitted most of what Mr Henry taught her ''went out the window'' and she just rolled with the punches on fight night.
''I honestly thought I was going to throw up,'' Mrs Stevens said.
''My legs were dead, everything was gone.''
