Luke Littler is the defending champion and favourite at the World Darts Championship, but Stephen Bunting insists no one is afraid of him on the oche.
The sport’s biggest event gets underway on Thursday night at Alexandra Palace, with Littler facing Darius Labanauskas in the opening session.
It has been a spectacular year for the Nuke, following up his win over Michael van Gerwen in the 2025 World Championship final in some style.
The 18-year-old added the UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals to his already immense CV, while he also retained his Grand Slam title.
There is little doubt who is the premier force on the oche as the World Championship begins, but Bunting insists Littler does not instil fear into his opponents.
The world number four arrives in north London hoping to better his previous best run of the semi-finals at the PDC World Darts Championship.
If he faces Littler on his quest to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy, he won’t be too worried about it.
‘I don’t think anyone is really scared of Luke Littler,’ Bunting told WhichBookie.
‘He’s a great darts player and a fantastic kid who I’ve known him for a long time, but there have been a lot of great darts players on the circuit in my career.
‘We’ve had the likes of Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries and others that came before him, and I’ve beaten every one of them over the course of my career. If I make it to the semi-finals this year, I won’t be too nervous about facing him.
‘I’ve got the experience from last year of playing him which will help me. I played him in an exhibition only a few days ago and won 4-3 with an average of over 100, so I know I’ve got the game to beat him.
‘Don’t get me wrong, he is one of the best players on the planet at the minute, but he’s not unbeatable.’
Bunting played well when he took on Littler in the semis a year ago, averaging a touch over 100, but was still beaten 6-1.
They have met nine times since then, with Littler getting the better of those battles but Bunting winning three of them.
Sky Sports pundit and former World Championship semi-finalist, Wayne Mardle, feels there are plenty of reasons to be fearful of Littler.
He expects the Nuke to face Luke Humphries in another Ally Pally final, but this time beat Cool Hand.
‘I think it will be a Luke-Luke final,’ Mardle told Sky Sports. ‘I’ve already predicted it. I think he [Littler] will retain it.
‘I think Luke and Luke are head and shoulders. Littler under pressure in set play has already shown what he can do in the World Grand Prix Final – every big leg, he won!’