New Year Grand Sumo Tournament: Kinbozan Faces First Defeat, Title Still Open
In a dramatic turn of events at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, Kazakh wrestler Kinbozan experienced his first defeat on the 10th day of the competition. This match, held in Tokyo at the renowned Ryogoku Kokugikan, saw the No. 14 maegashira Kinbozan (9-1) lose to komusubi Abi (6-4) after leaning too far forward during his initial charge, allowing Abi to execute a successful thrust that sent him to the ground.
With Kinbozan's defeat, the race for the championship remains highly competitive. Two other maegashira wrestlers, No. 3 Oho and No. 11 Takerufuji, have advanced to an impressive 8-2 record, closing in on the lead. No. 5 Chiyoshoma also joined this group after securing his eighth victory, despite suffering a second defeat earlier in the tournament.
In a noteworthy bout, veteran No. 10 maegashira Tamawashi (6-4) engaged in a fierce contest against Oho, who has been nursing a cut over his right eye. Despite his age at 40, Tamawashi's efforts to head-butt his younger opponent were futile as Oho showcased resilience, ultimately pushing him out of the ring.
Takerufuji had a less challenging matchup against No. 6 maegashira Ichiyamamoto (6-4), capitalizing on a miscalculated charge to claim victory with a decisive thrust.
Among the ozeki, both Hoshoryu and Onosato continued their pursuit of the title with wins that improved their records to 7-3. Hoshoryu, in particular, demonstrated his intent to reach the prestigious rank of yokozuna by overcoming sekiwake Daieisho (6-4) with a well-timed pulling overarm throw, effectively breaking a two-match losing streak.
Onosato, who faced some difficulties at the start of the tournament, managed to overpower Gonoyama (5-5) despite a couple of false starts. In a spirited exchange, Onosato was nearly pushed back but ultimately countered effectively, sending Gonoyama out of the ring.
The third ozeki, Kotozakura (4-6), who entered the tournament as a contender for yokozuna promotion, managed to defeat Hiradoumi (5-5) after Hiradoumi had previously bested Hoshoryu.
The competition is heating up as the tournament progresses, with multiple wrestlers still in contention for the championship title, making for an engaging and unpredictable series of matches ahead.
