Although this movie was completed between November 2 and November 21, 1936 under the title "Trial Horse" and reviewed under the title "Don't Pull Your Punches" in the January 10, 1937 issue of "The Motion Picture Herald", the film was released under the title "The Kid Comes Back" on February 6, 1938. During the filming, Warner executives recognized Morris's potential, casting him in "Kid Galahad", releasing "The Kid Comes Back" following the success of "Galahad".
David Raksin had worked as assistant to Leopold Stokowski on Deanna et ses boys (1937) and showed his music for this Warner movie's boxing montage sequence to the conductor, who was impressed and asked Raksin to re-score it for his Philadelphia Orchestra. Stokowski premiered the 58 second "Montage" in Philadelphia in 1937, making it Raksin's first orchestral work to receive a concert performance.
Completed in 1936, reviewed in Motion Picture Herald and Photoplay in early 1937, but not released until 1938.