Morty

But before Douglas beat him (and the rape and prison etc) he was the scariest guy to enter the ring since Foreman. I recently went back and watched some of those early Tyson fights and he was terrifying. And he successfully defended the heavyweight championship nine times which is better than most. The Yokozuna I would most compare Tyson to was Asashoryu... But you're right, Hak is Ali. No question.

The thing I love about this forum is the civility and the fact that even when people disagree or argue they do so without (usually) resorting to ad hominem attacks. People always argue the issues. There is virtually no bad language and people respect each other (in general) and there is no trolling. New members are generally welcomed and treated with respect. I have a couple of people on my ignore list but only a couple, and it took a while before I decided to press that button. There is clearly a gulf of knowledge between a few hoary older members and the newer majority, and then there are lots in the middle who know some stuff but not everything, but generally those with knowledge don't hold it against those of us without. I give regular (about once every two months for about 20 days) thanks to the folk who are so dedicated to sumo that they go out of their way to provide videos, info, other content, gossip, database interpretation, statistical analysis, banzuke interpretation, maintain the database, etc, that we the less dedicated can share and use to accentuate our enjoyment of sumo. This is a rare and fantastic on-line space and we are lucky to have it. It is a pleasure to be part of this on-line community and to be able to share something I love with other people - congratulations people we are doing a great job and proving that not all on-line communication is negative. Well done!

And that my friends, is why Hakuho is the greatest of all time. Kakaryu, a Yokozuna in his own right, had a winning hold twice, and Hak got out both times, and persevered, and won. Truly awesome.

The "quality" of wins is an entirely subjective judgement and completely open to the bias of those making those types of judgements. The number of wins one has while in sanyaku or the joi over three successive tournaments, on the other hand, is an entirely objective measure. I know this is sumo and things don't (ever, ever, ever) work objectively in sumo, and I know I am viewing this through a western prism that judges sumo like a western sport (which it entirely isn't), but... his run has a yusho, a jun-yusho, all three prizes, he has beaten all three Yokozunae once, has beaten all the Ozeki at least once, and even if he loses tomorrow, has still amassed 33 wins over three tournaments (34 if he wins). It is as comprehensive an Ozeki run in terms of results as was Takayasu's, Tochinoshin's, or any other recent run. Knocking him back for "quality" is unsupported by the evidence and it can only be politics or personal dislike that can support such a decision. Sports that rely on judges (eg figure skating, ballroom dancing, diving, dressage etc) tend to suck because the best competitors often lose, while the judges' favourites often win, because genuine competition between athletes shouldn't be judged subjectively and called a sport. I also know that sumo isn't a sport (not in the western sense), and that I can't judge it that way, and that they will do whatever they want anyway, and that is one of the reasons I love it, and usually I would have no problem with that, but in this one particular instance I feel like the little guy is getting hosed, maybe because his old shisho was Takanohana (or insert your own appropriate conspiracy theory here) or maybe because they genuinely think a purely oshi guy shouldn't be an Ozeki under any circumstances so it doesn't matter how much he wins.... Poor little bloke.

Used to happen all the time back in the day, but not so much these days - one of the best bits of sumo, and no they won't get reprimanded, totally allowable

I am one who has often said something similar (ie, it isn't the numbers but the quality). But with Takakeisho the numbers do tell you something, much like Kisenosato's numbers told you something before he finally yusho'd. They suggest a consistent level of quality in his sumo over his entire career. Takakeisho has been in makuuchi for 14 basho and has achieved at least ten wins in seven of them, nine wins in three more (including this one which could still end up as ten, or more), and four MK. In that short time he also has a yusho, two jun-yusho, six prizes and three kinboshi. His long term trajectory is that he wins, consistently, and continually improves. Personally I think that they should have promoted him last basho, because he has been showing Ozeki level quality for a while now, and if they don't promote him with ten here then that seems super harsh to me. It doesn't matter that he just does Oshi sumo because he wins with it, consistently.

Nah. Yoshikaze doesn't mind getting hit in the head which is one of the two weapons Aioyama has, so no surprise from me that he is in front.

The look of pain on Ikioi's face in the middle of the match as he tried to push forward made me wince. And Sadanoumi was also clearly in pain after his bout. I'd like them both to just have a rest. It was a kind of lack-luster day of sumo today, but the Hak-Tochinoshin match made up for it - worth the price of admission alone.

It was also a good demonstration of how Aioyama is a fairly one dimensional rikishi - when the push and pull routine didn't work he had nothing and Ichinojo just waited him out.

If he is healthy (which he seems to be) Ichinojo is a significantly better wrestler. Out of the two of them only one of them has the potential to be an Ozeki. Ichinojo for me too I think.

I know the Hak-Mitakeumi match was just a standard win for Hak but it reminded me (again) what a privilege it is to watch Hakuho do sumo. The little adjustments he makes to get the best grip and the best position, at the same time as managing to loosen the grip of his opponent, and then capitalise as soon as he gets the advantage, is just sublime. It is easy to take it for granted and just see it as another Hakuho match, but every now and again I catch myself remembering exactly how good he is and marvel at the technique he uses. Probably only a year or two of it left - make the most of it people. It will be generations before we see his like again.

Poor Tochiozan! Hakuho continually finds ways to embarrass him, this time giving up his back and still mightily throwing him down. Did Tochiozan run over Hak's dog or something?

Shodai really, really, really needs a tachiai...

Don't. Doing anything, especially sumo, with a 40 degree fever, is extremely bad for you and can lead to death or permanent disability. Amazed he was allowed to compete in that condition. Edit: actually not amazed, this is sumo...

One Ozeki run probably cactus (Tamawashi). One Ozeki run faces a set back from a guy who beats him regularly but is still , probably, in good shape for ten wins (Takakeisho). One Ozeki needing a KK to maintain his rank looking really shaky (Tochinoshin). Re the latter, I was surprised when he went on his run and made Ozeki. Before that he had been the epitome of a yo-yo rikishi, too good for the rank and file, but always getting chewed up in the meat grinder when he got to the Joi. He is a long time favourite of mine but I never thought he was Ozeki material. Maybe it is just the fact he was, and is, always injured and so never able to perform to his potential that led to that impression, I don't know. Regardless, the injuries are getting him now, he clearly has no leg power, and given his preferred style of sumo that is never going to be good. I suspect he will be a Sekiwake next basho.