AP Photo/ASAHI
Hawaiian-born yokozuna Akebono, or Chad Rowan, right, is
defeated by Dejima, his second defeat Tuesday, July 14, 1998 with
five days left in the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament
in Nagoya, central Japan.

Dejima hangs second
loss on Akebono

NAGOYA, July 14 (Kyodo) -- Former sekiwake Dejima collected his second grand champion scalp of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday, throwing down Akebono for a surprise win, while yokozuna Takanohana threatened to make it a runaway for the Emperor's Cup.

Dejima, wrestling as a No. 4 maegashira, was overwhelmed by Akebono at the start of the day's final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium and had to dig in against the straw ridge to avoid being forced out in a seemingly one-sided bout.

The 24-year-old Ishikawa native, who dumped yokozuna Wakanohana last Friday, however, slipped away from Akebono's charge to the left and sent the grand champion crashing to the ring's surface.

Dejima, who was 10-5 in May after returning from a career-threatening ankle injury late last year, improved his record to 7-3 while Akebono sustained a second loss that seriously hurts his own aspirations for the championship.

Takanohana, on track to complete his first tourney undefeated since the 1996 autumn basho, dispatched Kaio with ease for his 10th straight win.

AP Photo/ASAHI
Ozeki Takanonami twisted down Hamanoshima, foreground,
Tuesday, July 14, 1998, 10th day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand
Sumo Tournament in Nagoya, central Japan. Takanonami
(8-2) and Hamanoshima (3-7).

Although he normally struggles with Kaio, Takanohana secured control of the erratic komusubi's belt on Tuesday and walked him out of the ring.

Akebono's loss in the final bout left only ozeki Musashimaru and No. 9 maegashira Kotonowaka within immediate striking distance of Takanohana at 9-1 each.

Musashimaru, for his part, had little trouble stiff-arming winless Tochinowaka out of the ring for his ninth win, but now looks ahead to an all-ozeki showdown on Wednesday with Takanonami -- a member of the Futagoyama stable along with Takanohana.

In an early bout, Kotonowaka toppled eighth-ranked maegashira Asahiyutaka, blocking his right knee with his hand and tossing him over by the back of the belt, to remain among the leaders.

In other major bouts, Wakanohana deflected the bull-like charge of Tochiazuma by pulling down around in a circle and then slipped the No. 5 maegashira over the edge of the ring to notch his eighth win.

Ozeki Takanonami spun Hamanoshima over like a top with a twist on the shoulders of the No. 6 meagashira for an 8-2 record.

Also, Mongolia's No. 15 maegashira Kyokutenho pulled down Kotoinazuma by the belt for only his third win while compatriot Kyokushuzan, an 11th-ranked maegashira, flipped over Dewaarashi with a well-timed tug on the wrist and belt throw for his sixth win.

Results in Scoreboard

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