Luke Littler will play in the third round of the World Darts Championship (Image: Getty)
Ian White has recalled the time he was “cacking it” while defeating in the biggest triumph of his career. The 54-year-old says he will trump that achievement if he beats in the third round of the .
White was booed as he spoiled Van Gerwen’s party at the Dutch Darts Masters in 2018. He expects a similar reaction if he goes ahead against Littler at Alexandra Palace.
A 13-time PDC ranking title champion, White will pose a threat to Littler but many will expect the 17-year-old to ease into the fourth round.
Asked if a win over Littler will be the defining moment of his career, White told Sportsboom: “If I go on and win it, yeah.
“I wouldn’t say it was the biggest game yet because you look at my time playing [Michael] van Gerwen in Holland with their people behind him all booing me, throwing at double 10. I was cacking it.”
White insists there is little pressure on Littler despite the expectation that The Nuke will go on to become by far the youngest world champion. Van Gerwen currently holds that title having won aged 24 a decade ago.
But White joked that due to Littler’s age, there is no pressure on him to pay certain taxes and bills. “He hasn’t got [to pay] poll tax. He hasn’t got bills to pay. Wait until he’s got a kid,” he said.
White revealed that when he was 17, he was not even competing in the sport. He continued: “I don’t think I was playing darts. I wasn’t. I had heavy metal on.
Ian White will try to spoil the party by beating Luke Littler at Alexandra Palace (Image: Getty)
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“I had my hair down to here (points towards his knees), I wore ripped jeans. I was off to Donnington to watch Iron Maiden. I was out on my motorbikes, but no, I wasn’t even playing darts.
“If I went on to win [against Littler] now, I think everyone out there would be booing me, but every darts player would be shaking my hand.”
Littler – who overcame Ryan Meikle in the second round – has admitted that he faces little pressure. He said ahead of the World Championship: “It’s weird to be going back [to Alexandra Palace]. It’s where it all started.
“I was unknown but what I’ve done this year to get up to number four in the world. I don’t have any pressure right now, maybe on the day of playing. I’m just excited to get back on stage.”