Both McGirt and Whitaker were considered among the best pound-for-pound fighters in boxing (along with the then-WBC light welterweight champion Julio César Chávez and        then-WBC light middleweight champion Terry Norris). The winner of the fight was expected to be recognized as the number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the sport

Undercard:

Robert Garcia vs. Francisco Arroyo

In Tua's 1997 fight against Ike Ibeabuchi, the two fighters combined to set the record for most punches thrown in a heavyweight fight on record. Ibeabuchi won the decision, handing Tua his first professional loss.

Undercard:

Jose Luis Lopez vs Aaron “Superman” Davis