Walter Hill took the treatment to Wesley Snipes, who was interested in the story even before it had been turned into a script. "I told him it was conceivable that he could play either (lead) role, but what will not change is the fight and who wins in the end." Hill said. Hill then sent the script to Ving Rhames, who called back the next day saying he wanted to play "Iceman"; Snipes was happy to play the other role.
Wesley Snipes objected to Miramax's demand to do a scene that would make his character more sympathetic.
Ving Rhames had spent two years getting in shape for another movie role biopic about a boxing legend, but when that fell through, this script caught his eye, and he simply resumed his training for this film.
Wesley Snipes worked out with boxing trainer Emanuel Steward to prepare for his role in the film. Steward is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame for training boxers like Thomas Hearns and Lennox Lewis.
Walter Hill had always wanted to make a boxing film, being a fan of the sport since he was young. "Some say Hollywood movies that are made about boxing, are just metaphors for other things, I think I've made one that's actually about boxing, and not a metaphor."
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