Josh Rock believes he is the man to challenge Luke Littler’s dominance in darts going foward.
Littler won his first World Darts Championship aged just 17 earlier this month and has been tipped to threaten Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles.
The 23-year-old Rock was once tipped as darts’ ‘next big thing’ prior to Littler bursting onto the scene, having won the World Youth Darts Championship in 2022 – where he posted a record average of 104.13 in the final.
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Highlights of Littler against Michael van Gerwen in the final of the World Darts Championship
Success in the years since as a professional has been harder to come by, though a solid 2024 season saw him climb into the world’s top 16, and Rock now believes he’s ready for the big time.
“I had a solid 2024, but honestly I think 2025 is going to be my year,” the Northern Irishman said ahead of this week’s World Masters in Milton Keynes.
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Emma Paton, Mark Webster and Richard Ashdown discuss if Littler can break Phil Taylor’s World Darts Championship titles record of 16
“It is fantastic for the sport; Luke winning the Worlds at such a young age shows it is a young man’s sport now.
“My game is there to challenge, it always has been, it just has to come out when it needs to.
“There is six years between me and Luke. We can have a very long career. I believe that me and him will dominate the sport, 100 per cent.”
Rock faces Jermaine Wattimena in the opening round of the restructured World Masters – a tournament Littler is entering for the first time.
Live Premier League Darts
Thursday 6th February 7:00pm
Littler, who has failed to win either of his first two tournaments since his triumph at Alexandra Palace – the Bahrain Masters and the Darts Masters – takes on Belgium’s Andy Baetens in his opening match.
World No 1 Luke Humphries is drawn against Joe Cullen, while former world champion Michael Smith begins against Danny Noppert.
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