TYSON FURY was not allowed to compete in junior boxing due to his size.

During his early teens, Fury weighed a staggering 14 STONE and dwarfed his young training partners.

And the sheer scale of the goliath Gypsy King meant ex-coach Steve Egan didn't get to see him in the ring until he was 16.

But he always believed he was destined to become a boxing great.

Egan told SunSport: "He was 6ft 4in, 14 stone when he first came into our gym age 14 in 2002.

"One day I turned to my dad and I said, 'He’s going to be the heavyweight champion of the world.'

READ MORE IN BOXING

How Tommy Fury comes from UK’s toughest family with kids taught boxing aged 5

Fury could be STRIPPED of WBC belt if he doesn’t face Joshua vs Wilder winner

"I told Tyson that he’s going to be the heavyweight champion of the world; he didn’t tell me.

"He loved the fact that I told him he was going to be that good. He started to believe it. We always had a laugh.

"He didn’t fight in the Juniors because he was too big. He was too big for his age, so I couldn’t get him any fights till he was 16.

"When he was 14 there was no one else that was that big. Even at 15.

Most read in Boxing

THREE LITTLE WORDS

White breaks silence on Fury vs Ngannou with surprise three-word comment

WILD CLAIM

Joshua is ‘mentally BROKEN’ and is not ready for Fury or Wilder bout, says rival

LLEW YORK

Apollonia Llewellyn risks Instagram ban as she wears tiny white top in New York

EYES ON THE PRIZE

‘Deluded’ Hearn reveals shock AJ predictions for Wilder and Fury fights

FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS

"So he had to wait till he was 16 so he could box the 16-year-olds and the 17-year-olds. So he couldn’t compete before that."

Fan favourite Fury is one of the most confident fighters on the planet, but that wasn't always the case.

Egan recalled: "I remember one time – I think it was his first fight – when we were doing the weigh-ins he wore a red boot and a blue boot. He had two pairs but just it did it for a giggle.

"Yes, we all had a giggle back then too, being funny.

"There were times he doubted himself too, as a lad, when things didn’t go right in the gym sometimes, and he would say, 'How can I be world champion when I can’t do this.'"

Brother Shane was the cause of a some Fury's self-doubt, which Egan did his his best to eradicate.

Egan said: "Once when he was sparring his brother Shane, and Shane had done well for once, Tyson was moaning, 'How am I going to be world champion when I can’t even beat Shane, a novice?'

"I said to him, 'Shane knows you better than anyone else, you’ve been messing around with Shane ever since you’ve been little boys.

"''One day he’s going to get the better of you it’s just one of them things. No one else is going to know you like he does.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Bread star famous for playing Nellie Boswell dies at 91 weeks after husband

Wilko name to SURVIVE in deal with discount rival – and shoppers will be happy

"'So, today, it went all right for him he knew where you were coming from.'

"I said, 'I wish I was as f***ing rubbish as you are.'"

Source: Read Full Article