GOT THE HUMP
Luke Humphries replies with brutal put-down to Peter Wright ahead of grudge last-16 clash at the World Darts Champs
Wright was forced to cut short his TV interview on Friday after beating Jermaine Wattimena
FIRED-UP Luke Humphries has warned oche foe Peter Wright: Your mind games won’t work on me!
And the world No.1 claims trash-talking Snakebite will have "egg on his face" if he is eliminated on Sunday.
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A war of words has erupted ahead of an explosive Last 16 clash at the PDC World Darts Championship as the tournament hots up.
After his second-round win, Wright claimed Raymond van Barneveld would dethrone the world champion in round three – and "then me and Barney will have the best game ever you’ve seen on that stage".
Scotland’s two-time world champion, known for his colourful Mohawk and head inkings, added: "I’m ready to upset Luke Littler and Luke Humphries."
These comments riled Humphries, especially as Barney never progressed after being bashed up in the second round by Nick Kenny.
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Humphries said: "Peter’s had a lot to say over the last couple of weeks, where he says that he doesn’t fear me and Luke Littler. He says he’s going to smash us.
"So, yeah, all the pressure’s on him now because if he doesn’t, then the egg is on his face, not mine.
"I’m really, really relaxed and, if he doesn’t beat us, then it’s going to look silly on him, not me.
"Peter, I think, said something like Barney is going to smash me and he’s going to smash Jermaine.
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"Well, he got his end of the bargain. I think Peter loves to play the mind games, but it doesn’t work with me.
"I’m one world title away from almost matching his career and I’m about 25 years younger.
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"One more world title would sort of match everything he’s ever achieved in the game."
Humphries could have ignored the Wright attack – delivered on the night of the BBC SPOTY Awards – but instead, emboldened by the fact he is the top player within the field, he threw his own verbal counter-punch.
It is a sign he is growing into the role as the defending champion and after two routine wins – in which he won 3-0 and 4-0 – maybe he used this to get the juices going.
Humphries, normally so calm and uncontroversial, continued: "Some players, they love to get in your mind a little bit, love to make you think like I’m doing right now.
"He’s probably going to see this interview and he’s probably going to see a headline. He’s going to think: ‘I’ve gotten in his head.’ But he hasn’t.
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"I’m just saying that he has to smash me now because he said that was what was going to happen.
"My only take on it is, if you trash talk someone like Peter has, he has to follow through with it, otherwise he will look the fool.
"He’ll be the one that looks like he’s got egg on his face. Because if I sit here and say I’m going to smash him and I don’t, then I look silly, don’t I?
"So I’m just happy for the darts to do the talking. Let Peter do the talking and see what his darts can come up with.”
Wright beat speedy Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena 4-2 on Friday night, using the same equipment set-up that he had during his second title win in 2022.
Yet as he coughed and spluttered on stage due to a chest infection, he said he felt like a "zombie" – and it meant he did not do his popular pre-game dance routine.
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The Worlds are full of walking wounded right now – Wattimena sliced the index finger on his non-throwing hand while cutting ham on Christmas Day.
Former world champion Gerwyn Price has an ear infection, which is impacting his balance on stage.
Humphries, trying to be the fourth man to retain the Sid Waddell Trophy, knows he has to wrap himself up in cotton wool now.
The No.1 seed said: "You try to take steps a little bit.
"Like you don’t shake everyone’s hand. I’ve actually asked a few people if they’re ill before I’ve shaken their hand. It’s quite rife right now.
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"I don’t want to be leaving the tournament for being ill. I want to leave the tournament, if I do, by just not playing well enough for my opponent.
"You don’t want to be downed on an illness, which is quite rife at the moment."