I was a chubby pro basketballer before body transformation made me a ripped pro boxer

NAPHTALI NEMBHARD has completed his transformation from chubby pro basketballer to ripped professional boxer.

The 27-year-old Sheffield ace was a fleshy, hard-grafting court ace for the Sheffield Sharks and Derbyshire Arrows before fancying a sexy six-pack for a holiday.

The southpaw knew - after a childhood combining his favourite sports - that dedicating himself to boxing was the only way to get a toned torso.

And in 2017 he went to the Bramall Lane home of his beloved Sheffield United to watch local hero Kell Brook bravely lose to Errol Spence Jr, he was hooked on swapping hoops for the hurt business.

On last Friday night in his hometown, he finally made his pro bow outpointing Vasif Mamedov, to complete his turnaround.

The Yorkshire hulk explained to SunSport: “I was always a chubby kid when I was young and when I got to university and started playing basketball more seriously, they told me to get in shape.

“I boxed a bit when I was younger and was always a fan. 

“When I was in school my friends were all boxers but I was just fat and didn’t like getting hit. 

“I only really started boxing training again as an adult when I wanted to get a six-pack for a holiday.

“I was going on holiday to America and I wanted to impress people, I did get that six-pack too, thanks to the boxing training.”

Nembhard wants to box like Sheffield ring legend Prince Naseem Hamed - one of the most brilliant showmen the sport has ever seen.

But his childhood friends are baffled as his basketball style was much more journeyman brawler than Harlem Globetrotter baller.

“I am small for a basketball player,” he said. “I am only 6ft 1in. It’s tall for a middleweight boxer but not for a basketball player.

“As a basketball player I was gritty, aggressive, hard-nosed and used to guard against the opposition’s best player, be a nuisance to him and push him around. I was a very defensive player.

“My friends who have seen me play basketball and box are confused because my styles in both sports are the polar opposite.

“I still have that grit when it comes to training but in the ring I like to be more silky, show more finesse. My favourite boxers were always flashy and showboaters so I try to emulate that.”