Wythenshawe-born heavyweight boxing champion , Tyson Fury has missed out on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award amid protests by equality campaigners.

The boxer, who trained in Wythenshawe and was brought up in nearby Styal in Cheshire, was crowned heavyweight champion after beating Wladimir Klitschko last month,

His place on the Sports Personality of the Year shortlist was controversial after he was criticised for comments he made about homosexuality and women.

A picket was staged at the ceremony venue in Belfast by equality campaigners.

And Fury apologised for the comments at ceremony saying: “I’ve said a lot stuff not with intention to hurt anyone. A lot of it was tongue in cheek. I’m not  a serious person.  If  I’ve said anything in the past that’s hurt anybody,  I’m  sorry.  It’s not my intention to do that.”

Dubbed the Gypsy King because of his Irish traveller heritage, Fury’s boxing talent was forged in the Jimmy Egan Boxing Academy in Royalthorn Road, Wythenshawe.

His first coach was Steve Egan, who runs the club. He predicted in 2006 that Fury would  be heavyweight champion by 2015 and undisputed heavyweight champion by 2016.

Fury said at the ceremony: “It’s took 27 years  to get to where I am now. There are seven billion people on the planet and there’s only one heavy weight champion. I’m very proud of that.”