Benjamin Whittaker going to finals weekend
Benjamin Whittaker has seen his 'clash of champions' with James Richardson upgraded to a national quarter-final.
The two ex-national titlists are heading to finals weekend of the England Youth Championships without having taken each other on,
A lack of opponents down the line at 75kg has forced organisers to keep them waiting for their contest, which will now take place next week.
Darlaston's Whittaker, who represents Wodensborough Boxing Club, bossed the Clubs for Young People tournament of 2013 while Richardson, from Scunthorpe, sampled glory in the old junior ABAs.
The re-branded Youth competition will now stage all three of it's remaining stages over a weekend fight camp for the first time.
Entrants will travel to the Ferryhill Community Hub in County Durham next week with quarter-finals on Friday, the last four on Saturday before the national finals on Sunday.
Whittaker is one of only four West Midlands lads left alongside Akash Tuqir, from Merridale in Wolverhampton, Tom Collins, from Hall Green in Birmingham, and Warley's Corey Clarke.
Tuqir, 16, went through on Sunday after scoring a unanimous points victory over his East Midlands counterpart Stanley Forskitt.
He tackled his opponent, from Kings Heath in Northampton, at the Wallace Centre in Stoke-on-Trent and was again firmly on top.
He continually used his height to keep Forskitt at range and peppered him with the long jab to set up his southpaw attacks.
Sharp back-hands at close quarters caught the eye of the judges even further and there was no doubt of the result when the final bell sounded.
Trainer Khalid Hussain said: "I am over the moon with Akash's performance, he boxed superb and followed his instructions perfectly.
"He's a good kid who trains hard, he's getting stronger and growing in confidence every bout he has. He really is ready to take on the best in the country!"
The three-time national finalist and former Tri-Nations champion now hopes to make it third time lucky by claiming the top title that he craves.
Megan Ellis, from the Right Stuff in Stafford, is also still involved in the female side of the competition, walking over to finals weekend at 69kg.
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