Darts legend Bobby George believes that even in his prime, Phil Taylor would struggle against the current form of Luke Littler.
This assessment follows a recent teaser from Target Darts, a manufacturer and sponsor, that hinted at a potential match between Littler, the current PDC World Champion, and Taylor, the retired 16-time world champion.
A social media post and trailer from Target Darts suggested “The Power vs The Nuke” would be “coming soon,” sparking considerable excitement among fans. While the exact nature of this encounter remains unclear – whether a genuine darts match or a promotional event – the announcement has generated significant anticipation.
The possibility of a clash between these two has been a topic of discussion, with many predicting Littler could surpass Taylor’s historic achievements. Taylor is widely regarded as the greatest darts player of all time, holding a record 14 PDC World Championship titles.
However, Bobby George, a two-time BDO World Championship runner-up, has cautioned Taylor against facing Littler. Speaking on the talkBULL podcast, George expressed concern that Taylor would be humiliated by the younger player, particularly after Taylor’s retirement following a withdrawal from the 2024 World Seniors Masters.
When asked about the potential showdown, George stated, “Look, he [Taylor] was a great player, you have your day. [But] you get to a certain age in your life in your sport, everyone has it, and your body doesn’t allow you to play as you used to. If he played Littler now he’d get sl@ughtered, it’d be most embarrassing.”
George pointed to Taylor’s form on the Seniors Tour as evidence, saying, “The thing is, he’s retired. He’s played in the Seniors and he can’t even win in the Seniors. So playing a guy that’s one of the greatest players in the world at this time, he’s got no chance. If he does it for the money, then alright, take the bees and honey. But he takes all the credit for what he’s done, and a young guy of 18 beats him up. He ain’t got a chance, he’s too good the young boy, he’s too good.”
George also believes that Littler would have defeated Taylor even in his prime, saying, “Taylor was a great player, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think he would have beaten Littler, even in his hey day, because his scoring power is so good, his finishing is unbelievable. The only way he could probably have a chance of beating him is to take the double 10 off the bull, because that’s what you can hit every time. He’s got double 10 or double top, bang, straight in. Taylor was a great player but not as good as Littler. That’s my opinion, mind you.”
Littler has continued his impressive form since winning the PDC World Championship title, with victories at the UK Open and the Belgian Darts Open.
