When reputable fight choreographer Liu Chia-Liang debuted as a director with The Spiritual Boxer, it not only established him as a superb director, but it also encouraged other martial arts instructors to turn to directing. Plus, it was the first film to introduce comedy into kung-fu so it made sense for Liu to return to that foundation with the same bumbling idiot Wang Yu still not quite getting it when it comes to the affair of ghost control in The Shadow Boxing. Liu also brings in both of his brothers Liu Chia-Yung and Liu Chia-Hui, which guaranteed that the fights would be an extra notch above magnificent, further ensuring that the audience had never seen anything like it before. The Shadow Boxing was twice as successful as The Spiritual Boxer.