DAVID DAVIES has no fear over facing Luke Littler… because he is being fired up by Cigarettes & Alcohol.
The NHS manager from Denbigh does not drink or smoke but reckons his legendary walk-on tune by Oasis is better than the teen sensation’s Greenlight by Pitbull.
Davies, 40, insists he will not be psyched out before playing ‘The Nuke’ on Sunday after learning of the possible match-up with the world champ while on a cruise in Barbados.
He said: “I spent hours looking at intros to songs that would get the crowd going, and Cigarettes & Alcohol got me fired up.
“People say Luke Littler’s opponents are already a set down in their own minds when they hear him walking on stage to Greenlight, but I think my walk-on song is better than his so I’m already 1-0 up!
“But I’m not thinking too much about who I’m playing. I know I’m better than how I played in the first round — but Luke is a different kettle of fish, isn’t he? He’s a different breed.
“He’s blown the sport into a different dimension. Every game’s going to be tough and I know I’m going to be the underdog in every game I play.
“Just to play on the Ally Pally stage is huge. To get the win in the first round was that little bit of cherry on the top.
“There’s no denying the excitement and thrill of playing Luke now since he blew the sport open — but let’s see what happens.
“I don’t know about the enormity of the occasion because I’ve not been in this position before — at least not at the World Championship.
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“I’ve beaten him once — at a tournament on the Isle of Man when he was 13 — but he’s a better player now.
“He did beat me at the same tournament two years later, so it’s 1-1 and at least I can say my record against Luke is all-square — but he has been phenomenal since then.”
Davies breezed by Belgian Mario Vandenbogaerde 3-0 in round one.
But his mates immediately wrote off his Ally Pally chances once they realised who he could face.
He added: “I was away in Barbados at the time of the draw, trying to find a Wi-Fi signal that didn’t cut out.
“I got a message to say I had drawn Vandenbogaerde, which was fine. Then I got another message saying, ‘Well you’re not going to win the title this year, are you?’.
“I replied, ‘What do you mean?’. And he says, ‘Well if you win your first-round match, you’ll play Littler next’.
“I don’t know what I said — probably ‘Oh, thanks mate’ — though he’s an ex-mate now!”
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LUK OUT!
Davies went back to work after his first-round win and reckons he can rock Littler’s Worlds defence.
He added: “We are the wheels of the NHS all over North Wales, everything from picking up blood samples and organising medical supplies for discharging operations. It’s a big responsibility.
“It’s the NHS at the end of the day. I joined because I want to provide for people.
“It’s about self-belief and how far you can go in the professional game but the standard is ridiculous. People are losing with 100-plus averages.
“I don’t want to play the game to pay the rent or, more to the point, need to win to pay the rent. And I don’t want my wife to have to work more hours to support the kids — I’m doing this to help her slow down and enjoy life.”
