Associated Press
Musashimaru, right, hammers the face of Tochiazuma,
forcing him out of the ring yesterday in Tokyo.

Akebono over Takatoriki

TOKYO, Sept. 19 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Akebono prevailed over nemesis Takatoriki on Saturday and held onto his share of the lead in the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament with his sixth win against one loss.

Fellow grand champions Takanohana and Wakanohana and ozeki Musashimaru also notched their sixth wins at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo to keep abreast with Akebono in the lead pack.

In Saturday's key bout, Akebono faced sekiwake Takatoriki, who has defeated the grand champion in three out of five bouts over the last 12 months and owns 15 wins in 38 bouts with the yokozuna over his career.

Akebono, unlike meetings in the recent past, refused to be drawn into prolonged glaring matches with Takatoriki and when the bout began after one false start, the grand champion was not fooled by his nemesis's attempt to escape to the left.

The Hawaiian-born giant kept his feet and chased after the sekiwake with some powerful shoves. When Takatoriki attempted to push back, Akebono grabbed him by the back of the sash and threw him down to a fourth loss.

Yokozuna Takanohana muscled out No. 3 maegashira Tamakasuga in a one-sided bout, while Wakanohana survived an attempt to be pulled down forward and then twisted fourth-ranked maegashira Aogiyama over with a belt throw.

Ozeki Musashimaru overpowered Tochiazuma with a series of stiff-arm thrusts for his sixth win. Tochiazuma, who has faced all the top wrestlers in the first week of the tourney, enters the second week with a 1-6 mark.

Ozeki Takanonami notched a fifth win by wrapping up Asahiyutaka's arms as the No. 2 maegashira attempted to secure belt control and forcing him out of the ring.

In a bout pitting rival rising stars, sekiwake Chiyotaikai stood Dejima up with a series of thrusts and then snapped the komusubi to the ring's surface with a well-timed tug on the back of Dejima's head.

Earlier, Tochinonada, entering the day as one of the leaders, appeared headed for a sixth win as he had No. 10 maegashira Higonoumi back-pedaling from the outset of their bout.

The No. 6 maegashira's elbow hit the dirt first as both wrestlers fell out of the ring, however, saddling Tochinonada with his second loss of the tourney.

Kyokushuzan, a No. 5 maegashira from Mongolia, tripped up Minatofuji with an outside leg hook and then dropped the winless No. 2 maegashira to the ring's surface for his third win.

Results in Scoreboard

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