Darts prodigy Luke Littler has delivered a poignant live television tribute to boxer Anthony Joshua following his successful defence of the Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship title.
A dominant victory and a heartfelt message
The 18-year-old sensation secured his second consecutive world crown with a commanding 6-1 victory over Gian van Veen at Alexandra Palace on Saturday. In a moment of solemn reflection during his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Littler shifted focus from his sporting triumph to a recent tragedy.
He dedicated his win to the memory of two close friends of former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who lost their lives in a car crash in Nigeria last week. Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele died in the accident, while Joshua sustained minor injuries and was hospitalised. The driver, Kayode Adeniyi, has been charged by Nigerian police, with reports indicating charges include causing death by dangerous driving.
Making darts history at Ally Pally
By winning the tournament for the second time in a year, Littler has etched his name into the history books. He becomes just the fourth player ever to defend the PDC world title and the first to achieve the feat in a decade, since Gary Anderson's successful defence in 2016.
The victory also secures a life-changing £1 million in prize money for the young champion. Speaking about his performance, Littler said: "I started playing a bit better from there (set three)... I just had to kick on. I said to myself just give it time, you'll find it." He also praised his opponent, stating, "Gian, what a tournament, he can be very happy with himself."
An emotional tribute on the big stage
After thanking retiring officials John McDonald and John Noble, Littler turned his thoughts to Joshua's loss. "I've been wanting to say this," Littler told the Sky Sports audience. "Everyone knows what happened with Anthony Joshua and his guy and his team and his friends."
He then echoed Joshua's own words, declaring: "Just like AJ said 'the first time was so nice, I had to do it twice!'" This poignant reference connected his own back-to-back sporting achievement to the boxer's personal resilience.
On the monumental prize money, Littler acknowledged its impact: "It's lifechanging, absolutely life changing. This win has increased the gap to Luke Humphries and I'm clear as World number one." When quizzed on his first major purchase, the down-to-earth star replied, "I don't know, I can't change car yet. We'll have to see."
