More on Hakuhou

[Moti Dichne]

Hakuhou had planned on announcing his retirement after Nagoya, but the Kyokai were all "why retire after a zensho, you still have it" etc. He spoke with his family and decided to continue. Then came the Corona Miyagino detention, where his whole heya had to sit out Aki basho because of the virus. He saw it as a blessing, planning to use the extra down time to heal his injured right knee. It turns out  the knee has not healed as he had planned. So he decided to retire. An official Kyokai announcement is expected within a few days. As an aside, and not surprisingly, the Kyokai finds itself in a serious bind. One yokozuna left. This Yokozuna, as strong as he may be, is working on borrowed time, as we say in Corsica. One misstep, one wrong fall, and the delicate knees are in danger. The way I feel, every time he mounts the dohyo can be the last. And the current crop of kadoban yes kadoban no Ozeki are in no way immediate candidates for Yokozuna. We may find ourselves with no yokozuna and one Ozeki come March. OK, one Yokozuna and one Ozeki. and it's not like we even have real Ozeki contenders with the erratic lot of late, starting with Mitakeumi and culminating with Takayasu with the up and coming youngsters far from making a serious impression record-wise. We shall see.