Tochiazuma lives up to
billing at New Year sumo

TOKYO (AP) - Tochiazuma lived up to his ozeki (champion) status Wednesday with a hard-fought victory over Mongolian Asashoryu and remained undefeated at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Sekiwake (junior champion) Asashoryu, or Dolgorsvren Dagvadri, went on the attack early with a series of slaps and thrusts that bloodied the nose of Tochiazuma and temporarily stopped the bout.

When the action resumed, Tochiazuma grabbed hold of Asashoryu's belt and threw the determined grappler out to the delight of crowd at Ryogoku Kokugikan. Tochiazuma is tied for the lead at 4-0 along with five others while Asashoryu fell to 2-2.

Hawaiian yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru formally withdrew Wednesday after being diagnosed with a wrist injury that will take a month to heal.

Resurgent No. 3 maegashira (senior wrestler) Takanonami remained tied for the lead after he calmly spun ozeki Kaio (2-2) around after the face off and sent him out over the straw ridge.

In other main bouts, sekiwake Kotomitsuki held on to his share of the lead after he got both hands on the belt of Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, and sent the struggling komusubi (junior champion second class) to his fourth loss.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai exploded out of the blocks and overwhelmed winless top maegashira Akinoshima with a barrage of powerful arm thrusts to also remain undefeated.

Rank-and-filers Tosanoumi and Tochisakae are also at 4-0 after posting victories on Wednesday.

Top maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayer Davaa, was driven out by ozeki Musoyama (2-2) to suffer his third loss.

Further down the ranks, No. 15 maegashira Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, was shoved out by 14th-ranked maegashira Jumonji to leave both wrestlers at 2-2 while No. 5 juryo Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, powered out Tochinohana for his third win.

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TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Wednesday, the fourth day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena:

Winners	Losers
Jumonji (2-2)	Sentoryu (2-2)
Shimotori (2-2)	Oginishiki (juryo) (1-3)
Tokitsuumi (2-2)	Asanowaka (0-4)
Tochisakae (4-0)	Oikari (1-3)
Hamanishiki (3-1)	Tamarikido (1-3)
Tamakasuga (3-1)	Wakanoyama (2-2)
Buyuzan (3-1)	Aminishiki (3-1)
Tosanoumi (4-0)	Kobo (1-3)
Otsukasa (2-2)	Daizen (0-4)
Tochinonada (3-1)	Takanowaka (2-2) default
Dejima (2-2)	Kotonowaka (0-4)
Toki (2-2)	Chiyotenzan (2-2)
Wakanosato (3-1)	Tamanoshima (0-4)
Kotomitsuki (4-0)	Kyokutenho (0-4)
Chiyotaikai (4-0)	Akinoshima (0-4)
Musoyama (2-2)	Kyokushuzan (1-3)
Takanonami (4-0)	Kaio (2-2)
Tochiazuma (4-0)	Asashoryu (2-2)
Kaiho (2-2)	Musashimaru (1-3) default

Juryo Division

Kuniazuma (3-1)

Tochinohana (2-2)

Thursday's main bouts

Tochisakae	Sentoryu
Jumonji	Hamanishiki
Shimotori	Asanowaka
Tokitsuumi	Oginishiki
Oikari	Tamarikido
Wakanoyama	Kobo
Tamakasuga	Aminishiki
Buyuzan	Otsukasa
Tochinonada	Tosanoumi
Daizen	Kotonowaka
Chiyotenzan	Dejima
Wakanosato	Kaiho
Toki	Asashoryu
Kotomitsuki	Takanonami
Kyokushuzan	Tochiazuma
Chiyotaikai	Tamanoshima
Kyokutenho	Musoyama
Kaio	Akinoshima

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