KAKURYU BOOED IN VICTORY, HAKUHO REMAINS ON TOP ON DAY 8

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Newly promoted yokozuna Kakuryu bounced back from a loss to Chiyootori to defeat Takarafuji on May 18 and stay two wins back of sole leader Hakuho at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament. It was reported on asahi.com website, same day. Desperately looking to avoid a third loss, Mongolian Kakuryu improved to 6-2 when he dodged to his side at the face-off and watched as winless No. 2 maegashira Takarafuji tumbled to the dirt. As much as he needed the win, Kakuryu's tactic, often considered unbecoming of a grand champion, resulted in a rare round of booing from the capacity crowd at Ryogoku Kokugikan. In other major bouts, yokozuna Hakuho spun Yoshikaze around after the face-off and calmly shoved the komusubi over the edge to stay undefeated at 8-0. Yoshikaze dropped to 3-5. At the midway point of the 15-day meet, Mongolian Hakuho, who is bidding for his 29th Emperor's Cup, holds a one-win lead over ozeki Kisenosato and lower-ranked grappler Ikioi. Mongolian grand champion Harumafuji also stayed two wins off the pace when he got a grip on the belt of Chiyootori (2-6) and lifted the komusubi out to improve to 6-2. Elsewhere, Kisenosato kept the pressure on Hakuho with a hard-fought win over rising star Endo. Kisenosato got a right-hand grip on the belt of the fourth-ranked maegashira and maneuvered him to the edge before shoving him out to improve to 7-1. Endo earlier upset Kakuryu but has since come back down to earth, losing three straight to fall to 4-4. It won't get any easier for Endo, who next faces Hakuho. Fifth-ranked maegashira Ikioi also stayed in the hunt when he beat Egypt's Osunaarashi to improve to 7-1. Ikioi absorbed a crushing blow to the neck at the face-off before swatting down the 10th-ranked maegashira to his fourth loss. Top maegashira Takekaze used an arm throw at the center of the ring to defeat ozeki Kotoshogiku and give both wrestlers a record of 4-4. No. 2 maegashira Chiyotairyu deployed a barrage of arm thrusts to the upper body to send sekiwake Goeido backpedaling off the raised ring. Chiyotairyu improved to 2-6 while Goeido, who was slow at the face-off, was handed his fourth loss. Sekiwake Tochiozan slapped down Toyonoshima to pick up his fifth win against three losses while handing the No. 4 maegashira his fourth loss. No. 13 maegashira Kitataiki fell a further win off the pace when he was shoved out by Myogiryu to drop to 6-2. No. 8 maegashira Myogiryu improved to 4-4.