Hokuseihō Osamu

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Hokuseihō Osamu
北青鵬 治
Hokuseihō in 2022
Personal information
BornAriunaa Davaaninj
(2001-11-12) 12 November 2001 (age 22)
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Height204 cm (6 ft 8 in)[1]
Weight182 kg (401 lb; 29 st)
Career
StableMiyagino
Record134-72-44
DebutMarch 2020
Highest rankMaegashira 6 (July 2023)
RetiredFebruary 2024
Championships1 (Makushita)
1 (Sandanme)
1 (Jonidan)
1 (Jonokuchi)
* Up to date as of 22 February 2024.

Hokuseihō Osamu (北青鵬 治, born 12 November 2001 as Ariunaagiin Davaaninj (Mongolian: Ариунаагийн Даваанинж[2]) is a Mongolian-born Japanese former sumo wrestler from the Miyagino stable. He was recruited by the former yokozuna Hakuhō, and had been regarded as his protégé.[3] He made his professional debut in March 2020 and won his first 21 matches. His highest achieved rank was maegashira 6.

After the January 2024 tournament, allegations of assaults by Hokuseihō against fellow rikishi in his stable led to an investigation by the Sumo Association,[4] which later verified them.[5] On 22 February 2024, the day before the full Sumo Association board met to take up the committee's recommendations, Hokuseihō submitted his retirement notification.[6]

Career[edit]

Hokuseihō was born Ariunaa Davaaninj on 12 November 2001 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.[7] He moved to Sapporo, Hokkaido at the age of five.[8] On his way to a temporary return trip to Mongolia he met yokozuna Hakuhō by chance at an airport in South Korea, who encouraged him to try sumo.[9][10] From his fourth to sixth year of elementary school he took part in wanpaku sumo competitions, and studied sumo at junior high school in Tottori City. Hokuseihō quit the sumo club after he found the training too intense, but Hakuhō persuaded him to return. After graduating Hokuseihō enrolled at Tottori Jōhoku High School, known for its strong sumo program, again at Hakuhō's recommendation. Previous attendees of this school are Terunofuji and Ichinojō. He won several high school sumo competitions,[8] and after graduating, he joined Hakuhō at Miyagino stable. Although born in Mongolia, as he had been residing in Japan since five years old, he was able to obtain Japanese nationality and so did not need Miyagino's one foreigner spot (sumo rules allow for only one foreign-born wrestler per stable).[11]

He listed Hokkaido as his birthplace on the banzuke ranking sheets and was given the shikona of Hokuseihō. His debut was in March 2020, at a tournament with no spectators to due coronavirus restrictions.[12] There he made his debut at the same time as Shishi, the first Ukrainian to join professional sumo, and Hōzan Takamori [ja], the second son of former sekiwake Takatōriki and older brother of Ōhō.[13] With the May 2020 tournament being cancelled altogether, his first official tournament with a ranking was in July 2020. In his first three tournaments he won all 21 of his matches, to equal the fifth longest record start to a professional career in sumo history.[14] He won the yūshō or championship in each of the jonokuchi, jonidan and sandanme divisions.[7] He had to sit out the January 2021 tournament, which would have been his debut in the makushita division, due to Hakuhō testing positive for COVID-19 and his whole stable being withdrawn from competition.[15] Upon his return in March 2021 he lost his first bout in professional sumo to Tokisakae to bring his winning streak to an end, but recovered to post a 5–2 record.[16] A 6–1 record in May was followed by a 7–0 yūshō in July which saw him promoted to the jūryō division.[7] He became the fifth wrestler to win championships in every division from jonokuchi to makushita, and the first since Tochiazuma (now Tamanoi Oyakata).[17] He told reporters that he was pleased to have reached jūryō in just six tournaments and while still in his teens, and said that he was aiming for double-digit wins in his first tournament as a sekitori or salaried wrestler. He said he wanted to be a yokozuna by the age of 21, like his mentor Hakuhō.[18]

He was unable to compete in his jūryō debut after he tested positive for COVID-19, which forced the whole of the Miyagino stable to sit out the September 2021 tournament.[19] He kept his rank for the following tournament in November 2021, but was forced to pull out on the second day with a right knee ligament injury.[20] This resulted in his demotion back to makushita.[7] By May 2022 he had reached makushita 2, and was a favorite to compete for the third division championship and promotion back to jūryō.[3] After a 5–2 record, his promotion to jūryō was confirmed on May 25.[21]

Original tegata (autograph and handprint) of sumo wrestler Hokuseiho

On the second day of the July tournament he defeated Chiyosakae, and spoke afterwards of his relief at finally getting his first win as a sekitori in his third tournament ranked in jūryō, and the encouragement of Magaki Oyakata (the former Hakuhō), who he had once again been assigned to as an attendant after dropping to makushita.[22] He finished the tournament with an 11–4 record, the best of his career to date.[23] Hokuseihō's 9–6 record in the January 2023 tournament was his fourth straight winning record in jūryō, ensuring promotion to the top makuuchi division for the first time.[24][25] His promotion was confirmed with the release of the March 2023 banzuke on February 27, and Hokuseihō told reporters he was aiming for promotion to sanyaku within the year.[26] His previously reported height of 200 cm was also updated to 204 cm, making him the tallest wrestler ever in the top division since official measurements began in September 1953, alongside Akebono.[27]

During the July 2023 tournament, Hokuseihō recorded a negative score (make-koshi) for the first time with an eighth defeat on day thirteen against Kotoshōhō.[28] This score was worsened by a ninth defeat (the third in a row) against former sekiwake Meisei the next day.[29] After finishing this tournament with a score of 5–10, Hokuseihō was relegated to maegashira 11. At the September 2023 tournament, he and Daieishō remained neck-and-neck with tournament leaders Atamifuji and Takakeishō, recording only one more defeat than the latter and being able to force his way into a kettei-sen (playoff).[30] Hokuseihō was also promised the Fighting Spirit award if he recorded an eleventh victory. On the final day of the tournament, however, Hokuseihō was defeated by ōzeki Hōshōryū, effectively taking him out of the title race and removing his hopes of receiving the award.[31][32]

During the November 2023 tournament, Hokuseihō had a notable match with Midorifuji on day seven; the match being between the tallest and lightest wrestler in the division. The match also received attention after lasting a total of 6 minutes 40 seconds, and being marked by a very rare mizu-iri (water break), an event that had not happened in makuuchi for 8 years, since day fourteen of the March 2015 tournament during the match between Terunofuji and Ichinojō.[33] Following his match, he also received criticism from his master, who encouraged him to win quick victories without getting bogged down in long matches, too costly in terms of stamina for a full tournament.[34]

Assault allegations and retirement[edit]

Following a victory over Shōnannoumi on Day 5 of the January 2024 tournament, Hokuseihō withdrew from competition. Stablemaster Miyagino said that Hokuseihō's right knee condition had worsened, and that he would not be returning to the tournament.[35] Hokuseihō announced the next day that he had suffered a meniscus injury, and was planning to undergo surgery on 5 February. He was expected to require about four weeks of rehabilitation.[36]

However, during the same period, reports of violence committed by Hokuseihō began to emerge in the press, raising suspicions that Hokuseihō's withdrawal would also be to keep him away from the ring and put him on enforced rest.[37] In February, it was confirmed by the Sumo Association's Compliance Committee that Hokuseihō had assaulted several stablemates and had stolen money from them, and that an investigation had been launched after one of them made a formal complaint to the association. Further details later emerged that for over a year Hokuseihō had mistreated other wrestlers by striking them with sticks made from pieces of mawashi and abusing them using a combination of insecticides and burners.[38] Summoned to inform him that disciplinary proceedings had been launched against him, Hokuseihō simply told the press that he was "honestly remorseful".[39][40]

The Sumo Association planned to hold an emergency board meeting to discuss the Compliance Committee's report, which included a recommendation that Hokuseihō retire and that stablemaster Miyagino be demoted two positions in sumo's hierarchy.[4][6] The day before the meeting, on 22 February 2024, it was reported that Hokuseihō did not show up to his stable.[5] On the same day it was announced that Hokuseihō had submitted his notification of retirement.[6] On 23 February the Sumo Association board accepted the committee's report. In the case of Hokuseihō, the board did not take any formal disciplinary action and accepted his retirement papers instead.[41] Following the board meeting Hokuseihō said to the press: "I deeply regret having used violence against my stablemates."[42]

Despite the circumstances that led to his departure from the Sumo Association, it has been pointed out by several sources that Hokuseihō wanted to hold a haircutting ceremony in April.[43]

Fighting style[edit]

At 204 cm (6 ft 8 in) Hokuseihō was the tallest sekitori during his professional years,[1] and with his big height advantage he was able to overwhelm most of his early opponents by quickly grabbing their mawashi and forcing them out of the dohyō.[44] He won most of his matches by yorikiri (force out) and preferred a migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) position.[45] Hokuseihō's style, in which he remained firmly and passively supported on his legs, had been criticized by his master as being dangerous for the health of his knees, particularly during the January 2024 tournament from which Hokuseihō had to withdraw after a knee injury.[39]

In the run-up to the Nagoya tournament in July 2023, he also confided that he was beginning to practise pushing and thrusting techniques (tsuki/oshi) in order to diversify his fighting style, taking particular inspiration from the matches of former yokozuna Akebono.[46]

Career record[edit]

Hokuseihō Osamu[7]
Year January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2020 x (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #23
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 East Jonokuchi #23
7–0
Champion
 		 West Jonidan #15
7–0
Champion
 		 West Sandanme #12
7–0
Champion
 
2021 West Makushita #15
Sat out due to COVID rules
0–0–7		 West Makushita #15
5–2
 		 East Makushita #9
6–1
 		 West Makushita #2
7–0
Champion
 		 West Jūryō #12
Sat out due to COVID rules
0–0–15		 West Jūryō #12
0–2–13
 
2022 West Makushita #12
5–2
 		 West Makushita #5
5–2
 		 East Makushita #2
5–2
 		 West Jūryō #13
11–4
 		 East Jūryō #9
9–6
 		 East Jūryō #6
10–5
 
2023 East Jūryō #2
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #15
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #11
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #6
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #11
10–5
 		 East Maegashira #7
7–8
 
2024 East Maegashira #8
2–4–9
 		 East Jūryō #3
Retired
0–0		 x x x x
Record given as wins–losses–absencies    Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Wakatakakage down 3 kg to 132 kg, tallest is Hokuseiho at 204cm". Sanspo. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  2. ^ Сугар-Эрдэнэ, M. (16 July 2021). "Хокүсэйхо Э.Даваанинж макүшитад түрүүллээ". No. Хокүсэйхо Э.Даваанинж макүшитад түрүүллээ. Zindaa. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b Gunning, John (27 April 2022). "Balanced Summer Basho banzuke offers few reasons for complaint". Japan Times. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Sumo: Former yokozuna Hakuho facing penalty over Hokuseiho violence". Kyodo News. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
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  13. ^ "元貴闘力の次男鵬山ら新序一番出世力士16人発表". Nikkan Sports. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
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  18. ^ "スピード出世で新十両の北青鵬「21歳までに横綱になりたい」／一問一答 (New juryo Hokuseiho - "I want to be a yokozuna by the age of 21")". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 21 July 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Sumo: Hakuho to miss Autumn meet with stable barred over COVID cases". Kyodo News. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  20. ^ "北青鵬が休場 右膝じん帯損傷 身長２メートル、関取最年少の２０歳 (Hokuseiho is out. He has a right knee ligament injury. He is 2 meters tall and is the youngest sekitori, 20 years old.)". daily.co.jp (in Japanese). 15 November 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  21. ^ "苦節13年、31歳千代栄が新十両昇進 夏場所千秋楽は起死回生の逆転突き落としで５勝 "13 year veteran, 31-year-old Chiyosakae promoted to juryo for first time..."". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 25 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  22. ^ "2m tall Hokuseiho gets his long-awaited first win as a sekitori". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 11 July 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  23. ^ Gunning, John (27 July 2022). "Ichinojo's deserved first title rescues virus-struck Nagoya Basho". Japan Times. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  24. ^ "十両北青鵬９勝目、来場所新入幕確実に 師匠・宮城野親方に「いい思いをさせてあげたい」 (Juryo Hokuseiho's ninth win makes makuuchi debut certain, says he wants to make his stablemaster Miyagino feel good)". Nikkan Sports. 22 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  25. ^ Gunning, John (1 February 2023). "Hakuho positions himself to dominate sumo once again". Japan Times. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  26. ^ "Born in Mongolia and raised in Sapporo, new promotee Hokuseiho says "sanyaku this year"". NHK News. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Hokuseiho enters makuuchi at 204cm, tallest ever alongside Akebono, up 4cm from last measurement". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  28. ^ "大相撲名古屋場所１３日目 北青鵬が入幕後初めて負け越し". NHK (in Japanese). 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  29. ^ "大相撲名古屋場所１４日目 北青鵬は５勝９敗に". NHK (in Japanese). 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  30. ^ "貴景勝が豊昇龍に敗れ痛恨４敗「負けなのでそれが全て」逆転Ｖは千秋楽の大栄翔戦勝利が絶対条件". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 23 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  31. ^ "熱海富士が初三賞の敢闘賞受賞　貴景勝Ｖで殊勲賞受賞者なし、技能賞も候補者なく受賞者なし". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  32. ^ "豊昇龍２連勝締め、逆転で来場所のかど番回避「何よりも勝ててよかった」胸をなで下ろす". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  33. ^ "最長身・北青鵬と小兵・翠富士の"３０センチ差対決"は幕内８年ぶりの水入りに…計６分４０秒の大接戦を北青鵬が制す". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  34. ^ "【宮城野親方の目】水入りの熱戦制した北青鵬には「速い相撲を覚えてもらいたい」　長い相撲ばかりでは翌日に響く". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  35. ^ "東前頭８枚目、北青鵬が６日目から休場　十両時代の21年九州場所以来４度目" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  36. ^ "６日目から休場の東前頭８枚目の北青鵬「右膝半月板損傷」診断書を提出、４週間リハビリ加療要す" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  37. ^ "北青鵬"疑惑の休場"騒動　元横綱・白鵬の宮城野部屋めぐりコンプライアンス委員会が調査に動いたのか　相撲協会の回答は". News Post Seven [ja] (in Japanese). Shogakukan. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  38. ^ "大横綱に厳罰処分　元白鵬の宮城野親方が２階級降格と減俸処分　暴力行為に対する監督責任" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  39. ^ a b "暴行発覚の北青鵬　激闘制した翌日…初場所"突然"休場　診断書提出も宮城野親方は"意味深なコメント" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  40. ^ "元白鵬の宮城野親方に2階級降格処分案、暴力行為の北青鵬に引退勧告へ　相撲協会、23日に理事会" (in Japanese). Chunichi Sports. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  41. ^ "幕内北青鵬は引退届を受理　後輩力士への暴力行為、日本相撲協会の理事会で確認" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  42. ^ "Sumo: Former yokozuna Hakuho penalized over protege's violence". Kyodo News. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  43. ^ "引退決めた北青鵬の断髪式開催案浮上「弟弟子に暴力を振るったこと深く反省」宮城野親方と謝罪" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  44. ^ "札幌育ちの北青鵬 初の十両の土俵で優勝目指す (Hokuseiho, who grew up in Sapporo, aims to win his first juryo tournament )". NHK (in Japanese). 12 November 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  45. ^ "Hokuseiho Osamu Rikishi Profile". Japan Sumo Association. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  46. ^ "自己最高位の北青鵬、泰然自若の精神で着実に番付アップ狙う　突っ張りを特訓中も「簡単にはいかない」". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.

External links[edit]

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