Darts star Luke Littler has criticised promoter Eddie Hearn after the decision to stage the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua fight on December 11 - the same night the PDC World Darts Championship gets underway at Alexandra Palace.
Littler, the reigning world champion, took to Instagram to repost the fight details and slam the scheduling. He wrote: "A message to the Hearn's, what is this? Opening night of the World Championship (World champion plays on opening night 11th December) and you put one of the biggest fights in Britain on the same night. You had one job."
Fight moved to Cardiff for US broadcast
The eagerly anticipated showdown between the British heavyweights, over 10 years in the making, will be screened worldwide on Netflix. The duo put pen to paper on a deal earlier this year, which, for Joshua, featured a stipulation that the contest would occur on British soil, with Wembley originally earmarked to stage the encounter in November.
However, Netflix, which will televise the bout, were allegedly worried about the possibility of an afternoon kick-off in the US and lobbied for the clash to be shifted across the pond. Las Vegas and Los Angeles were also in the running as possible locations, but Madison Square Garden in New York eventually became the leading contender.
Main event set for 1am UK time
Joshua and his promoter, Hearn, stayed firm that the bout should happen on British soil - as previously stipulated in the original agreement. They put forward a series of requirements before entertaining a transatlantic switch, while continuing to campaign for a UK venue, with Cardiff ultimately surfacing as a backup to Wembley.
The headline act will now unfold overnight on Friday December 11th into the small hours of Saturday morning, with promoter Hearn suggesting the main event will commence at 1:00am UK time as organisers contemplate a delayed start to accommodate American viewers. Meanwhile, the World Darts Championship commences that very same evening.
World Darts Championship schedule
The World Darts Championship sessions usually kick off at 12:30pm GMT in the afternoon, with evening sessions starting at 7pm. The tournament is set to commence on December 11 and will run until January 3 at Alexandra Palace in London.
Joshua and Fury are set to square off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. The pair will meet at a press conference in London on Wednesday, September 30, marking the start of the hype for one of the most eagerly awaited bouts in British boxing history.
Joshua, 36, announced on Instagram: "I am inspiring a generation," while Fury has yet to make a statement.
Littler, an avid boxing enthusiast, has frequently been spotted at fights and has previously expressed his wish to step into the boxing ring himself. "I'd love to, but the missus does not want me to. I'd love to, a one-off definitely, on Misfits," he once remarked. When quizzed about who he would be prepared to take on in the ring, Littler's answer was brief and decisive. He simply responded: "Anyone."
Joshua and Fury, who are believed to be in line for £75million apiece, both claimed wins in July prior to their clash. Fury halted Mariusz Wach in the seventh round of their non-televised encounter in Thailand, while Joshua was floored twice by Kristian Prenga before rallying to finish the Albanian in the second round.
Meanwhile, Littler is aiming to secure consecutive PDC World Darts Championship crowns after his triumph last year.
