Naphtali Nembhard hungry for Sheffield derby with old friend
Unbeaten Nembhard feels a bout with Adam Geelan would be good for them both
Naphtali Nembhard would love to set up a Sheffield derby fight with one of his friends.
Boxers don't tend to select opponents they like and admire.
But unbeaten Nembhard feels a bout with Adam Geelan would be good for them both - and good for the Sheffield fight game.
Neither boxer has been particularly active this year.
Geelan's first professional loss in March has been his only 2026 outing.
Nembhard has also been in the ring just once, earning a points win over a journeyman in June.
"Adam was my first sparring partner from another gym" recalled Naphtali, a 30-year-old super middleweight/light heavyweight who is moving from Totley to Basegreen.
"We had come through the amateurs together and he is a friend of mine.
"We could shut down Sheffield for the day if we could arrange a fight!" he said.
"It would be a good battle, I'd love to see that arranged."
Naphtali, trained by Sean Thickett at the Wolseley Road gym in Lowfield, says his lack of activity this year has been down to business interests.
The former Chesterfield College tutor is self employed and has two businesses, coaching youngsters and launching education and sport programmes to help children out of the school system.
That has taken up much of his time, but hasn't impacted on his training.
"I have more flexibility now when I can train. I've trained in Tenerife, sparred at Titans' gym against Mikey Harrison and Dylan Trevor and I am really sharp.
"In fact I am more than match-fit - I am in the best shape of my life."
Ideally, Nembhard would have a six- or eight-rounder by the end of the year, but if not, he has his sights set on a return in February.
At 30, he feels he has years left to give the sport, as a boxer and eventually as a coach.
"Boxing is about opportunity - getting the right fights at the right time.
"Whatever comes, I am ready for it.
"I don't sit around moping, waiting for my next fight. I train hard every day, adding to my arsenal, and if you said I had a fight on Saturday I'd take it!
"I only had 16 fights as an amateur and didn't take much hammer then or in my (eight) pro fights. I am hard to hit and the longevity is there."