Casey T. Evans gained a record 97 pounds to play the older 'Jack Stemmons'. He went from 153 pounds for the drug withdrawal sequence, to 250 pounds as the older 'Jack Stemmons'.
For the fight in the film, the Director Todd Bellanca brought in five cameras to shoot an actual World Boxing Council sanctioned boxing match between Casey T. Evans (young Jack 'The Ripper' Stemmons) and Cliff Smith (Marcel 'The Bull' Eldridge). The actual Cruiserweight fight (185 lbs.), which took place at The Heart of St. Charles Banquet Center in St. Louis, MO, ended in a four round decision win for Evans.
The film was re-released under the title "Knockdown" and is available on Netflix (Aug 2014).