Sources from the sumo world say Yokozuna, or Grand Champion, Terunofuji is set to retire from competition after deciding he is no longer fit enough to complete a 15-day grand tournament.
Terunofuji stands 192 centimeters tall and weighs about 180 kilograms. His powerful style centers on grasping his opponent’s belt.
He accomplished his personal goal of clinching his 10th tournament championship when he won the July tourney in 2024.
However, the Mongolian-born wrestler sat out the last two tournaments of the year due to knee and back injuries as well as diabetes. He completed only two out of the six tournaments last year.
The 33-year-old made a comeback in the ongoing January tournament. But his performance was lackluster and he suffered his second defeat on the fourth day of competition on Wednesday. He pulled out of the tourney on Thursday.
Terunofuji gained Japanese citizenship in 2021, a precondition to becoming a sumo stablemaster.
