GERWYN PRICE has Luke Littler “in my pocket” this season but he fully expects The Nuke to pick the pocket of the Greatest Of All Time by the age of 40.
Phil Taylor’s tally of 16 world darts championships, which was set in 2013, is one of those records in world sport that few people reckon will ever be matched or broken.
Gerwyn Price expects Luke Littler to exceed Phil Taylor[/caption]
Many of those opinions changed when Littler came along and lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy before his eighteenth birthday and on his second attempt.
Provided the hunger and desire is there as he gets older, Littler has been backed to outdo the Power’s record tally in the coming decades.
Price, 40, said: “When did Phil Taylor start playing darts at the Worlds and win his first one? 29 or 30 years old?
“Luke has 12 years on him and already has one. Unless there are people coming through the ranks, then I don’t think anyone in the PDC can stop him.
“Luke Humphries is good, we’re all good on our day, but Littler’s so consistent. I think he will do it. Will he be here for another 20-25 years? If he wants it.
“I say it on the table with James Wade and Jim Williams. I praise him every single day.
“I think he will beat Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles.
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“There’s only the younger generation, people on the JDC Tour, who are going to stop him. We cannot stop him, he’s only going to get better and better.
“There are three or four players now who can beat him but if they go out of the tournament, he’s winning.
“Everybody falls apart against him. He’s that good. Unless someone comes from the age of 8, 9 or 10 now who can stop him, I think he will do it.
“Luke has done wonders for this sport. We all need to start winning now because in the next couple of years he will be unbeatable. Luke has taken darts to another level.
“If he doesn’t hit a lull, in maybe 4-5-6 years time, when he’s probably won enough money, won everything, then if he still wants it, I think he can do it. But it’s down to him, the way he is.”
A 6-3 win over Littler in Thursday’s final in Nottingham – Price’s first Premier League success in England since April 2023 – represented a sixth straight win in their head-to-heads.
Littler will not admit it but Price, who brags about the potency of his A Game, has become his bogeyman and appears to be in his mind whenever they meet.
The Iceman, who will receive a hero’s welcome next Thursday in Cardiff, said: “The longer it goes on, it will probably get under his skin.
“It’s probably in his head a little bit. I’m happy – he’s in my pocket for a little while but I am not sure for how long.
“It’s not game over. I have just beaten him with a 94 average.
“Nine times out of ten you need to play well to beat him. If you don’t play well, then nine times out of ten you don’t win.
“He’s human, and probably he thinks a little bit too much about me. Rather than on his own game. It affects some people. But he’s a strong kid, he has a strong mind.”
List of all-time Darts World Champions
BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year.
The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions.
That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once – Barney also won four BDO titles – and none of Eric Bristow’s five BDO titles are included.
- 1994 – Dennis Priestley
- 1995 – Phil Taylor
- 1996 – Phil Taylor (2)
- 1997 – Phil Taylor (3)
- 1998 – Phil Taylor (4)
- 1999 – Phil Taylor (5)
- 2000 – Phil Taylor (6)
- 2001 – Phil Taylor (7)
- 2002 – Phil Taylor (8)
- 2003 – John Part
- 2004 – Phil Taylor (9)
- 2005 – Phil Taylor (10)
- 2006 – Phil Taylor (11)
- 2007 – Raymond van Barneveld
- 2008 – John Part (2)
- 2009 – Phil Taylor (12)
- 2010 – Phil Taylor (13)
- 2011 – Adrian Lewis
- 2012 – Adrian Lewis (2)
- 2013 – Phil Taylor (14)
- 2014 – Michael van Gerwen
- 2015 – Gary Anderson
- 2016 – Gary Anderson (2)
- 2017 – Michael van Gerwen (2)
- 2018 – Rob Cross
- 2019 – Michael van Gerwen (3)
- 2020 – Peter Wright
- 2021 – Gerwyn Price
- 2022 – Peter Wright (2)
- 2023 – Michael Smith
- 2024 – Luke Humphries
- 2025 – Luke Littler
Most World Titles
- 14 – Phil Taylor
- 3 – Michael van Gerwen
- 2 – John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright
- 1 – Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler
