Bobby George has stirred the pot, claiming Phil Taylor, even at his prime, couldn’t hang with Luke Littler—and he’s catching heat for it. With sponsor Target hinting at a potential exhibition clash between the darts legends, speculation’s been rife. George, the flamboyant 79-year-old ex-player, doubled down on talkSPORT: “Taylor was great, no doubt. But Littler’s scoring power and finishing? Unreal. Even in his heyday, Taylor wouldn’t have touched him. Maybe if you took double 10 off the board—he hits that or double top like it’s nothing. My opinion, Taylor’s not on Littler’s level.”
That take didn’t sit well with Chris Mason, a retired pro who faced Taylor’s wrath firsthand. The 55-year-old unloaded an X-rated rebuttal to Online Darts: “It’s b******s—stats don’t lie. I’ve seen players crumble under pressure. Taylor? He thrived.” Mason argues Taylor’s peak averages—like a 113 against him over 24 legs or tournament marks of 108 and 105—hold up against today’s elite, even on older boards. “Now? Sure, it’s a mismatch. But back then? Do your homework, Bobby. Love him, but he’s dead wrong.”
Taylor, the 64-year-old icon with 16 world titles, initially seemed game for a Littler face-off but has since backed off. Littler, meanwhile, is rewriting records—his 122.96 average against Damon Heta this month topped Taylor’s career-best 120.24. George isn’t budging, even warning Taylor off the exhibition: “Against one of the world’s best right now? He’s got no shot.” Mason, though, sees a fight: “Those averages stack up. Taylor could still match him.” The debate’s raging—past king versus young gun—and the dart world’s eating it up.
