Georgian sekiwake Tochinoshin won a battle of brute strength against Mongolian sekiwake Ichinojo to remain perfect through Sunday's halfway point of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
Tochinoshin (8-0) withstood a forceful start-off that backed him up toward the bales, and worked his larger opponent back to the middle of the ring. A heavy-breathing Ichinojo (4-4) eventually found himself trying to push his way off the bales, but Tochinoshin wouldn't give ground and forced the Mongolian out.
The two yokozuna stayed right behind Tochinoshin at 7-1 as Hakuho looked vulnerable before taking down winless No. 3 maegashira Yutakayama in their first career meeting, and Kakuryu pulled down No. 4 maegashira Chiyotairyu (4-4).
Ozeki Goeido looked as bad as his 3-5 record in losing to No. 3 maegashira Daieisho (2-6). The ozeki backed up just after the jump-off, and never moved in close enough to grab his feisty opponent, who pushed him out.
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