Luke Littler mocked as darts star whinges over Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury date

Luke Littler has hit out after the long-awaited showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua was scheduled for the opening night of the World Darts Championship in December.

After over a decade of waiting, the Battle of Britain between Fury and Joshua was finally confirmed on Thursday with the two giants set to collide at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Friday 11 December.

That date also marks the start of the biggest darts competition of the year at Alexandra Palace where Littler will be back to defend his crown.

Fury vs Joshua is set to have a ringwalk time of around 2am in the early hours of Saturday morning to accommodate a US audience.

The darts action will be wrapped up before midnight with sports fans in the UK left with an almighty double header of action throughout the evening and into the wee hours.

But ‘The Nuke’ has hit out at the decision to have both events on the same night, taking aim at Eddie and Barry Hearn who run Matchroom Sport, the promotional company that oversees the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Two-time world champion Joshua has also been represented by Matchroom and Hearn for his entire professional boxing career.

Littler wrote on Instagram: ‘A message to the Hearns (promoters): what is this?

‘Opening night of the World Championship (world champion plays on opening night 11th December) and you put one of the biggest fights in Britain on the same night.

‘You had one job.’

Littler’s comments were widely ridiculed on social media with one user writing: ‘Almost like the world doesn’t revolve around him.’

Another added: ‘Luke Littler crying about fury v Joshua being on the same night as his first world championship match. It’s not all about you buddy’.

‘Is Luke not aware the fight starts at 2am?’ another queried.

A couple of hours later after his initial post, Littler added: ‘Why’s everyone so sensitive it’s literally a JOKE cmon guys.’

Littler’s bid for a clean sweep of all major PDC titles in 2026 was ended on Sunday after a crushing 10-4 defeat to Jonny Clayton in the last eight at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam.

In the aftermath, Littler threatened to boycott Dutch tournaments after facing hostile crowds after he was booed during Friday’s win over Danny Noppert and Saturday’s last-16 victory over Nathan Aspinall, with referee Charlie Costorphine forced to intervene.

Littler stated he is ‘100 per cent’ prepared to skip European Tour events in the Netherlands, as he already does in Germany due to similar treatment.

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