Luke Littler Sends Message to Hearn Family Over Christmas Scheduling
Luke Littler thought he had his December mapped out. Then Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury were handed a date that suddenly made the opening night of the World Darts Championship a whole lot more complicated.
Joshua and Fury will meet at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday, December 11, finally bringing together two of Britain’s biggest heavyweight names after years of waiting. Unfortunately for Littler, that is also the night he is scheduled to begin defending his world title at Alexandra Palace.
The timing has not gone unnoticed by the teenage darts superstar.
Littler, who is a well-known boxing fan, took to Instagram to address Barry and Eddie Hearn directly after the date was announced. His reaction was short, sharp and guaranteed to get people talking.
Littler Has A Message For The Hearns
Reposting details of the Joshua-Fury fight, Littler wrote:
“A message to the Hearns, 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.”
It is difficult to interpret that as anything other than frustration, but there is a fairly obvious reason behind it.
Littler is not just another player appearing during the opening week of the World Championship. He is the reigning champion and is scheduled to headline the opening night at Alexandra Palace.
That makes the scheduling clash especially interesting because the Hearn family has links to both sides of this sporting equation.
Eddie Hearn is heavily involved in Joshua’s boxing career through Matchroom, while Barry and Eddie Hearn are also involved in the wider PDC setup. From Littler’s perspective, that makes the situation rather difficult to ignore.
Joshua And Fury Finally Have Their Date
After years of speculation, Joshua and Fury now have a confirmed date and venue.
The two heavyweights are set to meet at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11, with Netflix broadcasting the event globally. The fight is one of the most anticipated all-British heavyweight contests of the modern era, which explains why there has been so much attention surrounding the final arrangements.
The venue itself is significant.
The Principality Stadium has a retractable roof and provides the kind of covered environment that makes a December event in Britain considerably easier to stage. Cardiff also keeps the fight in the United Kingdom, something that was important during the negotiations.
There had previously been discussion around other locations, including New York and Wembley, while different dates were considered.
Eventually, Cardiff emerged as the solution.
But solving the Joshua-Fury venue problem created another scheduling headache.
The Fight Should Start Much Later
There is an important detail that could prevent the two events from directly overlapping.
The Joshua-Fury main event is expected to take place in the early hours of Saturday morning in the UK, rather than during the main part of Friday evening. Eddie Hearn has indicated that a start around 1am UK time is being considered, although the exact ring-walk time has not been finalised.
That means Littler could theoretically complete his opening-night match at Alexandra Palace before Joshua and Fury make their ring walks.
On paper, that sounds like a reasonable compromise.
In reality, it still creates an unusual night for British sports fans.
The World Championship’s evening session begins around the time many fans will also be starting to think about the huge boxing event later that night. Littler could finish his match, leave the stage and then have to decide whether he is watching one of the biggest fights in British boxing history or concentrating on recovering for the tournament ahead.
For someone who openly enjoys boxing, that is not exactly an ideal situation.
A Massive Night For British Sport
The fascinating thing about December 11 is that neither event is struggling for attention.
The World Darts Championship has become one of the biggest annual sporting events in Britain, particularly during the Christmas period. Littler has played a huge role in that rise, becoming world champion as a teenager and turning himself into one of the most recognisable faces in darts.
Now he is attempting to defend that crown.
According to the published schedule, the 2026/27 World Championship begins at Alexandra Palace on December 11 and runs through January 3. Littler is due to begin his campaign on the opening night.
Then there is Joshua versus Fury.
This is the fight boxing fans have been waiting years to see. Both men have already built enormous careers, and the fact that they will finally meet professionally has made the event a major attraction well beyond traditional boxing audiences.
Put those two sporting stories together and December 11 suddenly looks like one of the busiest nights on the British sporting calendar.
Littler’s Frustration Is Understandable
There is a fair argument on both sides here.
From Littler’s perspective, the World Championship date is hardly a surprise. The tournament is a huge annual event, and putting the defending champion on the opening night makes his appearance particularly important.
At the same time, Joshua and Fury have spent an enormous amount of time getting their fight over the line. The eventual date and venue had to satisfy the fighters, promoters, broadcasters and stadium, while Netflix’s international audience was also an important consideration.
That makes the scheduling decision more complicated than simply saying someone forgot to check the darts calendar.
Still, Littler’s reaction is understandable.
He is a huge boxing fan, and he is also the person who will have to walk onto the Alexandra Palace stage on the very same night. His “You had one job” comment was clearly delivered with frustration, but there is also something entertaining about seeing one of Britain’s biggest young sports stars publicly questioning the decision.
It adds another layer to an already enormous night.
A Christmas Sporting Treat
If anything, the clash could ultimately create an unforgettable evening for fans.
A darts world champion beginning his title defence at Alexandra Palace, followed later by Joshua and Fury finally stepping into the ring in Cardiff, is an extraordinary combination.
The only question is whether fans will be able to enjoy both without feeling as though they are missing something.
For Littler, the priority will obviously be getting through his opening match and starting his title defence properly. But once the darts are finished, the boxing will still be waiting.
And perhaps that is why his message to the Hearns has struck such a chord.
Nobody knows exactly how the night will unfold yet, but December 11 is already shaping up to be a memorable one. Littler will have his world title on the line, while Joshua and Fury will finally settle their long-awaited heavyweight rivalry.
The scheduling may not have been designed to create this storyline, but it certainly has.
Now fans have a choice to make: darts first, boxing later, or somehow find a way to enjoy both?
Either way, Littler has made his feelings perfectly clear — and judging by his reaction, he will be watching that Joshua-Fury announcement just as closely as everyone else.