Tatsunami Oyakata, the stablemaster and former komusubi Asatoyo, confirmed on Tuesday that Yokozuna Hoshoryu (26, Tatsunami stable) will withdraw from the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament starting on Day 2, citing a muscle tear with an unclear recovery timeline.
Hoshoryu suffered a right leg injury during his opening-day loss to Takayasu. After being pinned by the head with his opponent’s right hand, he was thrown with an underarm throw from the left, causing both feet to splay apart and straining the area near his right thigh. The stablemaster made the withdrawal decision after observing the yokozuna’s condition post-bout. “He was dragging his foot, so there was no way he could compete. It wasn’t a situation where a little improvement would allow him to step into the ring. I apologize to the association and the fans,” Tatsunami said.
Typically, all makuuchi wrestlers from the Summer Tournament are scheduled to participate in the Paris exhibition on June 13–14, which will be held in a two-day tournament format. However, the stablemaster made no commitment on Hoshoryu’s participation. “The honbasho (main tournament) is what matters most. It’s still unclear at this point,” he added.
This marks Hoshoryu’s eighth career absence, following his last withdrawal at the Nagoya tournament in 2023. With Yokozuna Oonosato and Ozeki Anseishin also withdrawing from the first day, the Summer Tournament will proceed without two yokozuna and one ozeki. “It really was a championship opportunity for him. I think he is the one who feels it the most,” Tatsunami said, visibly frustrated by the turn of events.
