Luke Littler’s opening World Darts Championship clash has been scheduled on the same day as Tyson Fury’s rematch against Oleksandr Usyk.
The season-ending darts major gets underway next month one year after Littler burst onto the scene.
At just 16 years of age, Littler made history at Alexandra Palace by reaching the final before losing to Luke Humphries.
Fast forward 12 months and Littler has picked up 10 senior PDC titles and is the reigning Premier League champion as he returns to the World Darts Championship.
Luke Littler will face either Fallon Sherrock or Ryan Meikle
PA
As Littler is seeded inside the top 32, he has received a bye in the first round and will face the winner of either Fallon Sherrock or Ryan Meikle in his opening match.
Littler’s opening match in the tournament will take place in the evening on December 21 and is scheduled to be the second to last match.
The evening session gets underway at 7pm with Littler likely to take the stage late into the night.
His match is likely to take place just hours before Fury and Usyk’s blockbuster rematch in Saudi Arabia.
The heavyweight boxers are expected to begin their ring walks at around 11pm GMT, meaning it shouldn’t clash with Littler’s match.
However, sports fans may have to make a difficult choice with some huge fights on the Fury vs Usyk undercard.
Rising superstar Moses Itauma will compete in the biggest fight of his young career against Demsey McKean while Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen will face off in another entertaining heavyweight clash.
And the prospect of missing part of Littler’s opening match or the undercard for Fury vs Usyk hasn’t sat well with some.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will fight in a rematch on December 21
PA
One sports fan fumed: “What dreadful scheduling to have Littler v Miekle/Sherrock at basically the same time as the Usyk v Fury fight!”
Another moaned: “Fancy putting Littler on same night as Fury v Usyk 2.”
A third noted: “Littler on the same evening as Usyk vs Fury.”
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Luke Littler reached the final of the World Darts Championship last year
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If Littler goes up against Sherrock, the young darts superstar fears he may not have the crowd on his side.
“If I do come across her, I don’t know what the crowd would be like,” Littler told Sky Sports.
“Against Fallon, it might be a bit different.”