Sumo: Despite unhappy exit, Hakuho's all-time great status remains
KYODO NEWS - 6 minutes ago - 22:37 | Sports, All, Japan
Former yokozuna Hakuho's impending retirement from the Japan Sumo Association marks an inglorious exit from the sport, but the Mongolian-born wrestler's record inside the ring will remain a testament to his greatness.
The ruling body announced Monday that the winner of a record 45 elite-level championships will officially retire on June 9 following more than a year of uncertainty about the fate of the scandal-hit Miyagino stable that he oversaw as stablemaster.
It was closed indefinitely in April 2024 after Hakuho, now known in the sumo world as elder Miyagino, took responsibility for one of his proteges physically abusing younger wrestlers at the stable.
Hakuho, who debuted as a yokozuna at the 2007 Nagoya tournament, once expressed a wish to eventually see his championship milestone eclipsed by a younger generation, saying, "I hope someday, some children will come along who will surpass this record."
The 40-year-old's all-time records also include winning 1,187 professional bouts and 1,093 matches in the elite makuuchi division, the latter more than 100 greater than the total of the No. 2 in the rankings, former ozeki Kaiho.
Hakuho collected his 33rd Emperor's Cup at the January 2015 tournament, beating the 32 held by his idol Taiho, dubbed the "Great Yokozuna of the Showa Period."
"I may have surpassed him in terms of numbers, but I still don't know how Taiho feels," he said at a press conference after the tournament.
His achievements as a grand champion, required to continually achieve excellence or be forced into retirement, were exceptional, with his 84 tournaments, 1,019 bouts and 722 consecutive all yokozuna records.
Having retired from competition just four years ago, the all-time great's departure feels both premature and a missed opportunity to impart his wealth of knowledge to new generations of wrestlers.
Related coverage:
Ex-yokozuna Hakuho to leave sumo world: governing body
Sumo: Onosato performs ring entry ceremony at Meiji Jingu shrine
Sumo: Hoshoryu ready to rest after promotion-earning New Year win
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