Byrd Meets Felix in Main Event of Del Mar Boxing Card

Back with his old manager, Antoine Byrd is hoping to regain his old form tonight at the Del Mar Fair when he fights Joaquin Felix of Phoenix in the 10-round main event of a five-bout card.

Byrd, of Los Angeles, has not been the same since he lost a split decision to Lindel Holmes in March, 1991 for the International Boxing Federation’s super middleweight crown. After the fight, he severed ties with manager Bob DePhilippis and went with former heavyweight boxer Pinklon Thomas.

In the last year, Byrd (19-4, nine knockouts) has had two sub-par performances--a fourth-round knockout loss to journeyman Larry Musgrove and a split-decision loss to Tim Littles. But now Byrd, 29, has returned to DePhilippis and James McGary hoping they can resurrect his career.

“They tried to change his style and make him into a puncher,” DePhilippis said. “But Antoine is at his best when he’s boxing, moving in and out. If he boxes you, he can make you look like a fool. If he slugs it out, he’s in trouble.”

DePhilippis said Byrd’s strategy against Holmes was correct, it was his endurance that was questionable.

“He was only running two miles a day during training,” DePhilippis said. “He almost knocked Holmes out four or five times. He thought he won the fight. If he’d have been in a little better condition, he may have won it.”

For now, DePhilippis said he will try to get Byrd a couple tuneups before he puts him back in the ring against top competition. DePhilippis described Felix (18-3, 12 knockouts) as a “pretty good puncher who is slow.”

Felix lost his last bout three months ago to Frankie Liles (23-0) by a knockout.

On the undercard, which begins at 6 p.m.: Cash McCallum (7-0-1) of Newport Beach fights Terry Verner (7-17) of Bakersfield in a six-round bout of 195 pounders; Alfredo Flores of Tijuana (14-0) takes on Ruben Ceja of Phoenix (4-1) in a six-round welterweight fight; Rogelio Perez of San Diego (6-6) meets Herman Ruiz of Guadalajara (4-2) in a four-round bout of bantamweights; and Saul Rios, a 1992 graduate of Chula Vista High who went 26-3 in the amateurs, and Rodrigo Valenzuela of San Ysidro make their professional debuts in a four-round bout of junior bantamweights.

Admission to the fights is free with a ticket to the fair.