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Yokozuna Harumafuji beat fellow Yokozuna Hakuho to finish the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament with a perfect 15-0 record before a packed house at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Sunday.
The Mongolian grand champion had already won the tournament on Saturday, but finished in style by forcing out Hakuho who finished at 12-3.
Harumafuji had a lot to prove in only his second tournamnt as a yokozuna. His debut as a yokozuna in November finished with a lowly nine wins and six losses, prompting a panel of sumo advisers to say he was unsuitable for the rank.
Grand champions who do not get double-digit wins come under heavy pressure to retire (they are never demoted).
Harumafuji said he had been able to strengthen himself mentally and physically this time, according to NHK.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
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mangosqueezesbanana
pound-for-pound a formidable Yokozuna...i miss watching him toss Asashyoru around...zabutons were a flyin'
Tel Porter
Vengeance against those who were writing him off and suggesting he should retire after his poor showing in November.
Great to see him come out and smash away all the doubts!
avigator
Omedetoo gozaimasu Well done.
Daijoboots
Harumafuji's bout today was awesome and what I want to see from a yokozuna - straight at the opponent and aiming for the belt. Too many bouts this tournament he has been dodging and weaving and pulling down the opponent's head - I know he is "only" 130kg and hardly the biggest out there but I felt that he was winning at any cost this tournament to minimise energy and risk for the last couple of days if not just for today, and was almost cowardly or not befitting of a yokozuna in the process. I say this of course safely behind my computer screen. Having said that he's not usually like that; maybe he was feeling the heat after 9-6 in the previous tournament.
Baruto is very lucky the judges don't look at video replay, or simply ignore it. His hand hit the dirt first and there should not have been a rematch. Had he been rightly declared the loser in the first bout, as the original judge called it, he may have slipped from sekiwake to komusubi for the next tournament, if he didn't retire. His days as ozeki are over at any rate.
Good to see Kotooshu shove Kisenosato out good and hard.
wtfjapan
also miss Asashyoru he brought a bit of excitement and showmanship to the traditional dull side of sumo, he wasnt afraid to show his emotions and the crowds loved him for it. doubt Harumafuji would have been promoted if Asashyoru was still wrestling.
Serrano
I guess the sumo kyokai won't have any complaints this time.
Dennis Bauer
Hakuho's easy times are finished! it will be difficult to smash taiho's record now that harumafuji will step its game!
shanabelle
Congratulations Harumafuji! You sure showed 'em!
Vernie Jefferies
Great tournament and he was very confident and dominated almost all of his opponents. I thought I heard them announce that Harumafuji will be promoted to the East position Yokozuna in the next tournament. One sad thing about this tournament is the upcoming retirement of Takamisakari (aka Robocop). I love his fighting spirit rituals. I will certainly miss it.