APOLLO (Torquay) ABC light welterweight Nathan Halton resumes his attempt to land a second national title when he meets North London qualifier George Bacon in the semi-finals of the 2009 ESABA Schoolboys' Championships at the Edge Leisure Centre in Haslemere (Surrey) today.

It's been all too easy so far for the 13-year old Westlands schoolboy after walkovers in every round in the 66-kilo class, including last weekend's quarter-finals at Lymington where club mate Nathan Mackin and Paignton ABC's Tyler Barwood were both eliminated.

However, it's important today's bout goes ahead, or Halton could find himself losing out under the rules of the championships whereby a boxer must have competed in at least one round of the competition to qualify for the final.

Commented club coach Barry Walmsley before the two set out yesterday:

"Unfortunately Nathan's reputation has gone before him this year.

"Twelve months ago he won the Royal Navy ABA Golden Gloves Championships (since restored to its original title as the ESABA Schoolboys' Championships), and followed that up with a couple of representative contests for England Schoolboys.

"He's not only moved up in weight from the 60 kilo Class, but shot up in height in recent months with the result no-one Nathan's age seems keen to meet a 13-year old standing 5ft 11in tall and packing a bit of a punch.

"In the quarter-finals, for instance, his scheduled opponent from Guildford was withdrawn when it was realised who he would face for a place in the last four."

Meanwhile, both Mackin and Barwood were beaten on points in their quarter-finals, Mackin,14, losing to England schoolboy international Andrew Stanbridge in the Class 2 42 kilo category, and Barwood to Ben Brown (Guildford ABC) in the 42K Class for boys born in 1996.

Both were close calls, with Mackin all square going into the final session when he was caught on the ropes for Stanbridge to catch the eye of the judges after the computer scoring system had crashed.

Barwood, who boxed at every stage up to the quarter-finals, was beaten by a taller opponent, though there was nothing between the two until the final round when Brown put distance between the two with a series of uppercuts.

SOUTH DEVON light welterweight Ben Wakeham fights outside the county for the first time next month as he looks to stretch his 100 per cent record to five wins since turning professional on his 18th birthday two years ago.

His big nights so far have all been in Plymouth, but a slow-down in terms of shows that Bristol-based manager/promoter Chris Sanigar has been able to put on at The Pavilions and Guildhall has switched the focus to Newport in Wales on March 13. It's where Wakeham will touch gloves with first-timer Adam Farrell, a 21-year old from Swansea.

"It's a good matching for both camps, and we certainly won't be taking it lightly," said Wakeham's trainer-coach Paul Guy.

"Any 'away' fighter has to be wary of what to expect in Wales where they're all tough kids when it comes to being taught in the arts of boxing and rugby.

"It will be Farrell's first contest as a professional, but we've checked his records and he was well schooled as an amateur. It won't be a walk in the park."

Wakeham, a roofer by trade, lives in Torquay and trains at the Paignton Pro-Am gym on the former Nortel site in Brixham Road.

His record since joining the paid ranks is actually three over-the-distance wins, plus one 'no contest' moral victory when he boxed an exhibition six rounds with Russell Pearce (Welshpool) in June last year after the Welshman scaled 8lbs over the agreed 10st 7lbs limit.

Before that, Wakeham had beaten Jimmy Briggs (Barnstaple) and Swansea's James Lilley over 6x3's and, since then, East Ham journeyman Johnny Greaves over 6x2's.