Originally The Boxer was supposed to be in black and white, but editor Noel Hines convinced director John Craig Howells that it looked so beautiful in color it would be a shame to lose it.
Writer/producer/director John Craig Howells had no idea how much of a big deal Steve Robinson actually was until well after the shoot, because he's not interested in boxing and the film was never about boxing per se.
The script went through 11 drafts at the mercy of a Welsh short film programme. Writer/director John Craig Howells was under pressure to change the boxer from black to white, with the chair person of the programme even holding a vote on whether the boxer should change race! This happened with BAFTA winner John Giwa-Amu in the room.
John Giwa-Amu liked the script so much he was attached as director for several funding rounds across the UK until he got his producing deal for Little White Lies.