Sumo

Kinbozan Comes Up Big with Clutch Win over Onosato to Stay in Lead at New Year Basho

On Day 11 of the New Year Basho, the rank-and-filer held his ground against the heavily favored ozeki in a major test of his championship hopes.

Published on

January 22, 2025

Jim Armstrong

Rank-and-filer Kinbozan upset ozeki Onosato on Wednesday. January 22 to stay in sole possession of the lead at the New Year Basho.

No 14 maegashira Kinbozan went on the attack at the outset with a powerful arm thrust to the neck that stunned ozeki Onosato.

Onosato tried to get back in the bout but Kinbozan used a frontal thrust-down at the edge to send his opponent toppling off the raised ring while improving to 10-1.

"I was hoping to stay focused on beating an ozeki opponent," Kinbozan said. "I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself."

Added the man from Kazakhstan, "My body is moving well and I am in pretty good shape. I'll just stay focused on my style of sumo."

Onosato, who won two championship titles in 2024, dropped to 7-4 and is pretty much out of contention with four days left in the 15-day tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

Kinbozan, bidding for his first elite division title, lost the previous day to Abi but bounced back nicely in his first test against a sanyaku opponent.

He dropped down to the juryo division for the November 2024 tournament but won the title at sumo's second division to make a hasty return to the elite ranks where he is making the most of his promotion.

*Hoshoryu (right) exhibits brute strength in his New Year Basho match against Chiyoshoma. (©SANKEI)*

In the day's final bout, ozeki Hoshoryu got a right-handed grip on the belt immediately after the face-off and swung fifth-ranked Chiyoshoma around before shoving him out to give both men an 8-3 record.

New Year Basho Title Chase

The chase for the title is still wide open. Oho is one win off the pace while four men ― Hoshoryu, Chiyoshoma, Kirishima and Takerufuji ― are two wins back of Kinbozan.

Top maegashira Kirishima won his eighth straight bout when he got a right hand on the belt of fellow Mongolian Tamawashi and used a frontal crush-out to send the 10th-ranked maegashira toppling out.

Kirishima lost his first three bouts but finds himself in the title chase with a record of 8-3. Tamawashi dropped to 6-5 and will be fighting for a winning record over the remaining four days.

*Oho defeats Onokatsu on Day 11. (©SANKEI)*

No 3 maegashira Oho kept his title hopes alive when he fought off a grip on the belt and shoved out Onokatsu to improve to 9-2. No 12 maegashira Onokatsu dropped to 6-5.

Oho, the son of former sekiwake Takatoriki and grandson of the 48th yokozuna Taiho, is bidding for his first Emperor's Cup.

Sekiwake Daieisho defeated Takerufuji when he deployed his trademark arm thrusts to send the No 11 maegashira toppling off the raised ring.

Daieisho improved to 7-4 while 2024 Spring Basho winner Takerufuji fell to 8-3.

Abi, Kotozakura Collect Wins

Komusubi Abi deployed a frontal thrust-out technique to defeat Ichiyamamoto while improving to 7-4. Sixth-ranked Ichiyamamoto stands at 6-5.

Ozeki Kotozakura came bursting out of the face-off and unleashed a powerful arm thrust to the neck that forced komusubi Wakatakakage to step out, giving both grapplers a 5-6 record.

*Kotozakura pushes Wakatakakage to the edge of the raised ring en route to victory. (©SANKEI)*

Kotozakura won the previous tournament in November 2024 and came into this basho hoping for promotion to grand champion but now finds himself fighting to wrap up a winning record.