Sep 12 (Japan Times) - Yokozuna Hakuho and Kakuryu will both miss the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament starting this weekend after deciding to pull out Friday due to injury concerns.
The 15-day tournament, which opens Sunday at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, will be the first in 37 years to commence without a yokozuna when more than one wrestler has occupied the sport's highest rank.
Both Mongolian-born yokozuna withdrew from the previous grand tournament in July. An injured knee forced Hakuho out with three days remaining, while Kakuryu forfeited his second-day bout with an elbow injury and did not return.
With the two 35-year-old grand champions out of the running, Asanoyama and Takakeisho, the two wrestlers at the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki, will be the men to beat.
