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Karl Boyes, the 25 year-old former English 8 ball player residing in Blackpool, became the first player through to the quarter-finals of the 2007 Philippines World Pool Championship following a comfortable 11-4 win over European No.1 Konstantin Stepanov of Russia.

He can now look forward to a minimum $10,000 pay day and a quarter-final match-up against Filipino Joven Bustamante.

Boyes, had won through to the 128 man starting line-up at the Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Manila, in a qualifying event in Holland back in September.

In fact, he is something of a 9 ball novice although his all-round cuemanship has never been questioned.

Making his TV debut at the last 16 stage, Boyes was certainly the underdog and both players had moments of nerves in the first half of the game

European No.1 Stepanov had previously looked nerves-free in defeating Filipinos Efren Reyes and Jeff De Luna in pressure packed arenas jammed with local fans. However, he missed too many easy balls to give his opponent the opportunity to open up a 5-1 lead.

Boyes though couldn’t capitalise and returned the favour to the Russian who reduced the deficit to 4-5.

The Englishman has come on strong in the second half of most of his matches this week and today was no exception as he completed his first break and run out of the match to increase his lead to 7-4.

Stepanov got back to the table in the next but played a poor attempt on a 2/4 carom to leave the 2 ball out in the open for Boyes. Boyes had to contend with some extremely loud cheering from the other arena as local hope Joven Bustamante closed in on victory in his match with Satoshi Kawabata.

The Blackpool-based potter though, steadied himself to close out the rack and move into an 8-4 lead.

Another win in the next game put Boyes in a commanding position and then delivered an excellent break shot to set up his second clearance of the match and looked comfortable at 9-4 just two away from a great victory.

Boyes had a real tester in the next as he faced a long pot on the orange 5 but he played it with aplomb to gain perfect shape on the green 6. He made no mistakes as he completed his third break and run of the match to reach the hill at 10-4.

A perfect soft break from Boyes put him in the driving seat and he looked supremely confident as he ran through the table to become the first man through to the last eight and the first British player to reach this stage of the World Pool Championship since Steve Davis in 2000.

“Konstantin was second favourite in his previous two matches but that wasn’t the case today and it worked against him,” said Boyes after the match.

“I was 5-1 up but made a couple of silly mistakes to let him get back but then he missed a ball and I pretty much ran the match out.

“I come from an English 8 ball background and moved to the big table when the IPT came along. I’d always watched 9 ball on TV – I loved the Mosconi Cup and the World Pool Championship and I always thought about playing it.

“I don’t mind who I play next, I’ve just got to play one ball at a time and not make any silly mistakes. I know Joven so I’ll enjoy playing him.”