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Asashoryu bounces back at New Year sumo tournament

Kisenosato sends grand champion Asashoryu crashing out of the ring during their bout in the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena on Monday. The Mongolian wrestler, competing for the first time in five months, suffered his first loss on the second day of the meet. PHOTO: AP/KYODO NEWS

Grand champion Asashoryu of Mongolia bounced back to defeat Tokitenku yesterday, the third day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Asashoryu came bursting out of the blocks and sent winless top maegashira Tokitenku out in a matter of seconds to improve to 2-1 in the 15-day tourney at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

On Monday, Asashoryu crashed from the ring and from any hope of an all-win return at the New Year tournament after a spectacular defeat at the hands of rank-and-filer Kisenosato.

The No. 1 maegashira grappled briefly with the Mongolian champion, who was competing for the first time in five months, before flipping him around and sending him hurtling out of the ring.

Asashoryu, winner of 21 tournament titles, was coming off a two-tournament ban for playing a charity soccer game in Ulan Bator last summer while skipping an exhibition sumo tournament in Japan.

He claimed he was injured.

It was one of the harshest punishments ever meted out to a grand champion, and he will be looking to restore his tarnished image in the New Year meet.

Asashoryu won on opening day, but lost to Kisenosato on Monday, raising concerns that he hasn't regained his form after a five-month layoff.

Yesterday's one-sided win over Tokitenku will silence his critics for at least 24 hours.

In the day's final bout, grand champion Hakuho of Mongolia improved to a perfect 3-0 when he got a hold of Toyonoshima's belt and calmly threw the No. 2 maegashira off the raised ring to stay tied for the lead with rank-and-filers Aminishiki, Futeno and Kyokutenho.

Hakuho won the Kyushu tourney in November and is Asashoryu's most significant rival in the New Year tourney.

In other major bouts, Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu spun Mongolian Ama around at the faceoff and waltzed the sekiwake out to improve to 2-1. Ama dropped to 1-2.

Kotooshu needs a winning record in this tourney to maintain his ozeki status for the next meet.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai suffered his third straight loss when he was overpowered by komusubi Dejima, who improved to 1-2.

Veteran ozeki Kaio sent Miyabiyama off the raised ring with a series of arm thrusts to improve to 2-1. No. 2 maegashira Miyabiyama fell to 1-2.

No. 3 maegashira Goeido improved to 1-2 when he shoved out Kotomitsuki to upset the ozeki wrestler, who dropped to 2-1.
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