For a man who has been boxing for over 20 years, Alan Temple’s appetite for the sport is as hungry as its ever been.

One of the most gifted boxers to come from the famous fight town of Hartlepool, Alan finally gained some reward for his talent when he won his first professional title in May 2004 - at the age of 31.

Taking on East London hard-nut Silence Saheed at Woodville Hall in Gravesend, Kent for the vacant British Masters lightweight belt, the silky-smooth southpaw handed out a boxing lesson to the Nigerian-born fighter. In round eight, Saheed managed to put down Temple but then hit Alan when he was on the floor and London referee Ken Curtis rightly disqualified him.

The finish may not have been the glorious ending Alan would have liked, but there is no doubt he deserved the championship.

It proved a dream comeback for Temple, who had retired in the January of 2003 following a heavy points defeat to Darren Melville in London, but found he could not stay away from the sport that was in his blood.

Alan’s record of 14 wins and 18 defeats, on paper, does not look the greatest.Yet, he has fought the very best at both lightweight and light-welterweight, the likes of Michael Ayers, David Burke, Colin Dunne, Eamonn Magee, Steve Murray, Jason Rowland, Wayne Rigby, Billy Schwer, John Thaxton, Bobby Vanzie and Junior Witter.

Temple, who has ducked no-one, made a challenge for the IBF Inter-continental lightweight title in 2000 and has had three unsuccessful British lightweight championship eliminators.

He had turned pro in 1994 with Frank Maloney, the then manager of Lennox Lewis, but had only four fights for the Londoner. He returned home the following year to sign for Gus Robinson.

As an amateur he made Hartlepool history by being the first man from the town to win two ABA titles, in 1992 & 94, Representing the Boys Welfare club, he also boxed for England at the Acropolis Cup in Greece and the European Games. His mentor during his amateur days, Peter Cope, became his coach again in 1998 when Peter joined the Gus Robinson set-up.

Now at the age of 32, there is still plenty of life left in Alan, who looked sharp in his contest at Everton Park Sports Centre against Liverpool favourite David Burke last December, before being stopped in the fourth round.