Humphries is on a quest to defend his title at Alexandra Palace and will have to navigate a tricky fourth-round match against Wright on Sunday.
Wright – a two-time champion in London – fended off a chest infection to beat Jermaine Wattimena to progress as he seeks to end a tough year on a high note.
'Snakebite' has been in indifferent form, but said his ambitions are sky-high as he targets scalps against world number one Humphries and darting prodigy Luke Littler.
"What drives me on? Luke Humphries and Luke Litter, because I know I can still compete with them," Wright said.
"What I'm doing in practice, I can still compete with these guys and be better than them.
"These little old guys can still do it."
But Wright's "mind games" seem to have riled up Humphries, who believes the remarks could backfire if he doesn't deliver when they come head-to-head on the oche.
"He's had a lot to say over the last couple of weeks, where he says that he doesn't fear me and Luke Littler, but he said he's going to smash us," Humphries said after his third-round win over Nick Kenny on Friday.
"All the pressure's on him now because if he doesn't then the egg's on his face, not mine.
"I'm really relaxed and if he doesn't beat us then it's going to look silly on him, not me."
"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, so I think one world title would match everything he's ever achieved in the game."
Humphries accepted Wright could be using the pre-match trash talk to disrupt him, but acknowledged his "respect" for the 54-year-old.
"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 the headlines and he's going to think, 'I've got in his head'. But he hasn't.
"All the banter aside, I'm really looking forward to playing him. He's a top guy, he's a two-time world champion. He's got massive experience and I respect him a lot."