LUKE HUMPHRIES admits that rival Luke Littler has “the edge” over him in the race to be the king of the oche.
The lethal Lukes battle to be World No1 could come to a dramatic crescendo on Sunday if they meet in the Grand Slam final.
Teen World Champ Littler, 18, can overtake ‘Cool Hand’ at the top of the world rankings if he wins the title in Wolverhampton.
Humphries, 30, confesses that ‘The Nuke’ is more consistent at delivering the explosive big numbers when it comes to the crunch.
He revealed: “I think you just say things in the moment, but I think his ceiling is a lot more consistent than mine.
“I can perform at these levels, but I don’t maybe do it as often as he does.
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“Maybe that’s just a credit to him. He’s got such a great throw, and he just does it time after time.
“I know you’re kind of saying you shouldn’t really be negative. I’m not. I think he just does it a lot more, like these big 100 plus averages.
“But now I’m starting to feel a little bit comfortable. I can perform at that level as well.
“We’re close to each other, but at the moment he’s got the edge. It’s up to me to get better and try and keep on his tail.”
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Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn 2 – all the info
TIME for round two of this generation’s family feud!
Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn go punch-for-punch once again as both rivals look to make their fathers proud.
The blockbuster rematch takes place at the 62,000-seater Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, November 15.
Eubank Jr narrowly outpointed his bitter foe after 12 brutal rounds in April to secure the bragging rights in what was certainly a Fight of the Year contender.
And the two British superstars will dance once more as Eubank Jr aims to do the double while Benn seeks revenge after suffering a first career loss.
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Humphries faces a tough test against ex-champ Gerwyn Price in the semis on Sunday afternoon.
But he’s still eyeing up a potential huge clash with Littler in the final on Sunday night if they both get there.
He added: “Of course I’d love to meet in the final. But I love playing him. I get on really well with him and it’s always a good prospect playing him in a good final. I really get up for it, and he does as well.
“I don’t really know how I feel. I always want him to win and I want to play him in the final. I’ll just let fate take control.”
Despite all the noise, Humphries insists that his mindset is not focused on being World No1. He knows that if he wins the £1million World Championship in early January, he will keep his place at the top of the sport.
He added: “For me I’m not really thinking about World No1 anymore because the Worlds are going to be the one. If I’m stood here as the Grand Slam champion but not World No1, I’m sure I’ll be happier. I’m not here to just be World No1.
“If I can win then I put myself in a good state going into the Worlds and if I can win that then I’ll win it back [World No1] anyway.
“For myself, I have to win the Worlds to be World No1. If I don’t win the Worlds then I won’t be anyway. So, this is all just a little bit of a free run for me.”
Grand Slam of Darts 2025 – all the info
LUK who’s back!
Teen sensation Luke Littler and many of his rivals return to the oche for another action-packed Grand Slam of Darts.
This is a special tournament for Littler as he thrashed Martin Lukeman in last year’s final to lift his first major ranking title.
And after recently passing his driving test with zero faults, The Nuke will be racing to retain his crown.
But he’ll need to overcome the likes of World No 1 Luke Humphries, three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen, and two-time Women’s World Champion Beau Greaves.
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Here’s everything you need to know for this thrilling week of darts…
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