30/05/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | MAY 30, 2026

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Big boost for Joshua Usyk to consider being in AJ’s corner for Fury fight

FOCAL PARK SDN BHD (358698-H) NOTIS LELONG AWAM KENDERAAN UNTUK DILELONG SEPERTI SEDIA ADA TEMPAT & TARIKH LELONG : :Northern Region (Alor Setar, Butterworth & Ipoh) 04-06-2026 (Khamis) Pukul 11:00pagi TARIKH MELIHAT : SEBELUM TIGA HARI LELONG (Pukul 9:00pagi - 4:00petang) PERTANYAAN (Tel): Butterworth 04-3567972, Alor Seter 04-787 7972, Ipoh 05-5293971 FPAC - PELELONG BERLESEN : a) Mr. Chew Wooi Kok), b) Mr. Steven Lim Peng Seng (02241), c) Pn Hasniza Binti Abu Samah (01105) Alamat : 352, Permatang Tok Jaya Maklom Sg Dua 13800 Butterworth. : Lot 138-A, Batu 5 Jalan Langgar 05460 Alor Setar : PT51683, Jalan Jelapang, Kws Perindustrian Tmn Meru 30020 Ipoh SILA LAYARI LAMAN WEB KAMI : http://www.focalpark.com.my INSIDE EDGE Kirsten faces ‘a lot of learning’ to rebuild Sri Lanka N EW Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten says understanding the island’s cricketing identity will be central to rebuilding the team for the World Cup. The 58-year-old former South Africa opener started last week on a two-year contract that will see him in charge for the 50-over World Cup next year. “I need to understand the culture really well, understand what makes the players tick, understand the environment,” Kirsten told reporters in Colombo. “I’ve got a lot of learning to do as I go through this jour ney.” Kirsten was India coach from 2008 to 2011, taking them to World Cup glory, then coached South Africa from 2011 to 2013. He was appointed by Sri Lanka after Sanath Jayasuriya left the position before his term was due to expire at the end of June. Kirsten said he would work with trans lators – but that English “works quite well in cricket” as a language of communica tion. “I’ve worked across a lot of different cultures and countries, so I’ve had a bit of experience in that space,” he said. Smith sparks Ireland collapse N ATHA N S MITH took career-best interna tional figures of 6-40 as New Zealand made Ireland follow-on in a one-off Test in Belfast yesterday. Ireland were dismissed for 179 in reply to New Zealand’s first-innings 490-8 declared, with paceman Smith doing the bulk of the damage as only Andy McBrine (73 not out) and fast bowler Mark Adair (40) offered much resistance after their side collapsed to 38-6. The hosts, made to follow-on by New Zealand captain Tom Latham, were 65-2 at stumps on the second day – still a mam moth 246 runs behind. Earlier, New Zealand wicketkeeper Tom Blundell extended his first-day 142 not out to 186, his highest score at this level, and there was agony for Dean Foxcroft who just missed out on a century on his Test debut when falling to McBrine for 98. “You’d take 98, it’s obviously better than a duck, I was so close to the century, but at the end of the day the team is in a great position to win this game,” Foxcroft told the BBC . “In terms of the match, I’m delighted where we are at the moment. We’ve got eight more wickets to go and we are hop ing we can put Ireland under pressure.” Notices

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Oleksandr Usyk (left) and Anthony Joshua exchange words after their heavyweight world title rematch at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Aug 20, 2022. – AFPPIC

Ű BY ALEX PATTLE

people at this level, that is com pletely normal.” Usyk has backed Joshua to become a world heavyweight champion again in the future, although his fight with Fury will not be for a title, and Lapin has also discussed those claims. “Everything depends on AJ himself,” said Lapin. “He has abso lutely everything needed to become heavyweight champion again. He already has the experi ence, physical attributes, name and discipline. “At this level, the key is mental ity and motivation. Oleksandr is always open to sharing his experi ence, and that is extremely valu able for many fighters.” Joshua’s decision to train with Usyk in Ukraine followed a car accident in December, in which AJ was injured and two of his team mates were killed. The crash took place in Nigeria and claimed the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele. It also took place 10 days after Joshua stopped YouTuber -turned boxer Jake Paul in Miami, in a fight that went six rounds. With that result, Joshua bounced back from a knockout by Daniel Dubois in their 2024 title bout, which occurred between Fury’s two title-fight losses to Usyk. Usyk’s fight with Verhoeven last week proved highly controver sial, as the Ukrainian appeared to be down on the scorecards when the referee stopped the bout after the bell in round 11, awarding Usyk a TKO win. – The Independent

O LEKSANDR USYK has not yet decided whether he will be in Anthony Joshua’s corner later this year, when the Briton boxes com patriot Tyson Fury. Joshua, 36, and Fury, 37, are contracted to fight each other later this year, and although the date of that long-awaited contest is unknown, an October or November clash at Wembley Stadium seems possible. First, however, Joshua will face Kristian Prenga in a warm-up fight in Saudi Arabia on July 25, while Fury is targeting an August return – ideally in Dublin, it appears. Before Joshua’s bout with Fury were confirmed, AJ trained with Usyk in the latter’s native Ukraine, several years after they last shared the ring. Usyk, 39, outpointed Joshua in 2021 and 2022, before doing the same against Fury twice in 2024. But the unbeaten southpaw’s rivalry with Joshua is a thing of the past, with the pair developing a friendship through their training. Joshua was even ringside at the pyramids of Giza on Saturday, as Usyk scored a controversial stop page of kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. “It’s still too early to say for sure whether Oleksandr will be in AJ’s corner against Fury. We will look at the situation closer to the fight,” Usyk’s sporting director Sergey Lapin said yesterday. “As for Fury and his weak nesses, they constantly talk about boxing, different styles, different fights, and different situations. For

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