Expectations for a titanic three-way battle to decide the destination of the Emperor’s Cup later this month were suddenly tempered on Jan. 8.
Sumo fans woke up to headlines proclaiming dark clouds were swirling around Hoshoryu with the start of the hatsu basho just days away.
The yokozuna skipped practice on Thursday, reportedly due to swelling and fluid buildup in his left knee, and there was unconfirmed speculation that he may have a torn meniscus.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.