Sumo: Onosato clinches championship, certain to become yokozuna
The 24-year-old defeated fellow ozeki Kotozakura to improve to 13-0 and take an unassailable three-bout lead over his nearest rivals into the final weekend of the 15-day competition at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.
With the Japan Sumo Association's Yokozuna Deliberation Council having never denied promotion to an ozeki winning consecutive tournaments, Onosato's ascent to grand champion is a formality.
The Ishikawa Prefecture native, who debuted in the elite makuuchi division in January last year, will join Mongolian Hoshoryu at the sport's highest rank.
He will become the first Japanese-born yokozuna since his stablemaster, the former Kisenosato, who retired from competition in January 2019.
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Japan Times
11 hours ago
- Japan Times
Will Wakatakakage bring balance to the banzuke?
One of the Japan Sumo Association's better-known rules is that there must be at least two ōzeki on the banzuke rankings at all times. When a situation arises in which there aren't enough rikishi at the sport's second-highest rank to occupy both the east and west sides of the banzuke, one (or two) yokozuna can be designated as yokozuna-ōzeki to ensure compliance with the aforementioned rule. Such was the case in the just-completed Nagoya tournament, where newly promoted grand champion Onosato had to cover the empty ōzeki slot created by his own elevation to sumo's highest rank. However, while the yokozuna-ōzeki designation is a solution that has been used for decades, the sooner there are two actual ōzeki on the banzuke the better for the sport. In addition to providing a greater number of matchups between marquee stars, and therefore better and more exciting tournaments, a full complement of ōzeki brings a natural balance to the banzuke. It also spreads out the burden of expectation and responsibility that comes with being at sumo's highest ranks, and takes some of the pressure off the yokozuna. As things stand ahead of next month's autumn meet, despite several men recently posting performances that suggest they could soon be pushing for promotion, there is one clear front-runner for the open ōzeki position. Wakatakakage's second-week turnaround in Nagoya, where he rebounded from a 3-4 start to finish 10-5, has set the Toyo University graduate up with a very good shot at making ōzeki following the September meet. Since May, Wakatakakage has posted 22 wins while in the sanyaku ranks, including a runner-up performance that earned a special prize. Those efforts, combined with sumo's keen need for a second ōzeki, means the longstanding (but unofficial) guideline of 33 victories in three tournaments almost certainly applies in this case. Should Wakatakakage win 11 bouts next month it's a virtual lock that he will be promoted to ōzeki. Even if he manages just 10 wins in the Kokugikan in September, that need for a second ōzeki, as well as the fact that Wakatakakage already won the Emperor's Cup in the past, could help tip the balance in his favor. Wakatakakage poses with a fan during the JSA Sumo Fan Festival at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo in October 2022. | John Gunning In terms of sumo style, the 30-year-old already fights like an ōzeki — or more accurately a yokozuna — but ironically that may be a reason why he hasn't already reached the former rank. Wakatakakage utilizes a direct, straightforward style of sumo that is heavily reliant on straight line power. But weighing in at just 136 kilograms, that style occasionally lacks the heft to overcome larger opponents or withstand counterattacks. Wakatakakage was the lightest man among the top 20 ranked wrestlers in the most recent tournament, with Tobizaru at maegashira 7 the next highest ranked rikishi who weighs less. Even in that case, the difference is just a single kilogram — well within daily fluctuations — and Tobizaru is a full 10 centimeters shorter than Wakatakakage. Given that speed is not a major part of his sumo, and with the knee injury that caused a fall to the third-tier makushita division in 2023 no longer a concern, Wakatakakage's promotion hopes could arguably be best served by the addition of 5 to 10 kg. Indeed, if he does make it to ōzeki, the Fukushima native should consider bulking up to around 150 to 155 kg. At that size Wakatakakage's chosen style of sumo would likely be far more effective. With the Arashio stable man's already impressive physique probably nearing the upper limits of hypertrophy, weight gain for Wakatakakage at this stage would primarily be in fatty tissue. Gaining fat is a much faster and easier process than gaining muscle, so were Wakatakakage to go down that route it's something that could be accomplished in a short time. Realistically, however, given his age and history to date, a jump in size likely isn't something the sekiwake is considering. And while it probably would benefit his career over the next couple of years, it's also not something that should prevent promotion or further glory. What sets Wakatakakage apart from several other trophy and rank hopefuls in recent years is a demonstrated ability not only to reach 11 or 12 wins in the top tier, but also to go toe-to-toe with its highest ranked wrestlers. Eighteen career bouts to date with former ōzeki Kirishima have been evenly split, while Wakatakakage leads 8-7 head-to-head against ōzeki Kotozakura, and just trails yokozuna Hoshoryu in a mirror image of that record. Going into 2025 he also had a 2-0 record against Onosato, but sumo's newest superstar has won all four of their matchups this year. Even when losing bouts against top rankers, though, Wakatakakage is rarely overwhelmed and generally more than able to hold his own. Consistency, whether from tournament to tournament or against lower ranked wrestlers, has been the main stumbling block preventing promotion to greater heights or adding to the Emperor's Cup he won in the March 2022 tournament. Now, however, with the best opportunity of his career at stake, that is of lesser concern. Wakatakakage has already done the bulk of the work with two solid back-to-back double-digit winning records at sanyaku ranks, and now he just needs a performance that is well within his capabilities in September. With all of sumo hoping he'll bring balance to the banzuke, the prospects for sumo getting a new ōzeki next month look good.
Japan Today
a day ago
- Japan Today
Japan boxing to adopt stricter safety rules after deaths of two fighters
A pair of boxing gloves are seen on the side of a ring in this file picture Japanese boxing officials said on Tuesday they would introduce urine tests, stricter rules on weight loss to prevent dehydration and improve medical cover at bouts following the deaths of two fighters. The new measures were adopted during an emergency meeting of the Japan Pro Boxing Association (JPBA), the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) and gym owners on Tuesday. It was convened after super featherweight Shigetoshi Kotari and lightweight Hiromasa Urakawa, both 28, died days after brain surgery on injuries they sustained in separate bouts at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall on August 2. The exact cause of the boxers' deaths is to be determined, but dehydration caused by cutting weight rapidly is regarded as a factor in making the brain more susceptible to bleeding, according to the World Boxing Association. The deaths were "really regrettable," said JPBA president Shoji Kobayashi. "We gathered today to establish a plan towards zero accidents." New measures to be implemented as soon as possible include urine tests for measuring dehydration and stricter rules on boxers' rapid weight loss, said Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, secretary-general of the JBC. Ambulances will also be required on site, even for non-world championship bouts. They will partner with hospitals that are equipped to perform emergency surgery for head and other injuries. There will also be new rules on how long before a fight sparring must be stopped during training, he said. Officials decided "to take all measures possible so we do not let the deaths of the two be in vain," Yasukochi added. Kotari collapsed and later died after going 12 rounds in an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title fight. The JBC had already announced all future OPBF title bouts would be reduced to 10 rounds. "That such an incident occurred involving top-level boxers means we may face arguments that boxing should be halted," admitted Toshiharu Kayama, former Japan welterweight champion and president of the boxing gym Ebisu K's Box. "We, the association and gyms, want to think and change" the way the sport is contested, Kayama said. An accident investigation committee will work to find out the cause of the boxers' deaths later this month and guidance on prevention measures will be updated, Yasukochi said. The JBC and JPBA will also hold a safety meeting later this month, which will include the organizations' doctors as well as the amateur boxing federation, he added. © 2025 AFP
The Mainichi
a day ago
- The Mainichi
Sumo: Resurgent Wakatakakage buoyed by ozeki promotion prospect
SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Sekiwake Wakatakakage is relishing the chance to clinch his promotion to the second-highest rank of ozeki at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in September as he continues his revival from a heavy knee injury suffered two years ago. The 30-year-old from Fukushima Prefecture dominated young talents Hakuoho and Kusano on Tuesday during a training session at the Japan Sumo Association's regional tour event in Sendai, the capital of neighboring Miyagi Prefecture. "The next meet is important. I'll get proper practice and ready myself both mentally and physically," he said on the 15-day tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Wakatakakage won his first and only Emperor's Cup in March 2022 in Osaka on his sekiwake debut and held the third-highest rank for seven straight meets before suffering a right anterior cruciate ligament injury a year later. After missing the ensuing three tournaments entirely, Wakatakakage returned to the raised ring down in the third-tier makushita division that November. He was back in the elite makuuchi division after competing in four tournaments and surged up the standings since, posting five double-digit wins against only one losing record in seven meets. Having gone 12-3 as komusubi in May and 10-5 as sekiwake in July, Wakatakakage needs 11 wins in September to reach the ozeki promotion standard of 33 wins over three meets wrestling as sekiwake or komusubi. "I've never compared myself to how I was before the injury, and I'm not looking back in the past," he said. "What I always have is the desire to get stronger."
