Both fighters found out about this fight less than a month before it took place, which meant that the weight limit in which they would fight could be changed until the last moment. Ultimately, the fight was in the 170-pound intermediate weight class.
As part of the evening, James Kirkland (34-3, 30 KOs) also suffered his third defeat as a pro in Los Angeles, losing by knockout to Juan Macias Montiel (22-4-2, 22 KOs) in the first round. The American earned $30,000 for the fight, and Montiel got only $10,000.