Kirishima Kazuhiro
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Real name | Kazumi Yoshinaga | |
| Date of birth | April 3, 1959 | |
| Place of birth | Kagoshima | |
| Height | 187.0 cm (6'2") | |
| Weight | 127.0 kg (280lb) | |
| Career* | ||
| Heya | Izutsu | |
| Rank | retired | |
| Record | 754-696-40 | |
| Debut | March, 1975 | |
| Highest rank | Ozeki (May, 1990) | |
| Yushos | 1 (Makuuchi) | |
| Special Prizes | Outstanding Performance (3) Fighting Spirit (1) Technique (4) |
|
| Gold stars | 2 (Onokuni) | |
|
* Career information is correct as of March 2007. |
||
Kirishima Kazuhiro (Japanese: 霧島 一博, born April 3, 1959) is a former sumo wrestler from Makizono, Kagoshima, Japan, who reached the rank of ōzeki. He is now known as Michinoku-oyakata.
Beginning his career in March 1975, Kazumi Yoshinaga, as he then was, joined the Izutsu stable. He was given the sumo name Kirishima, which came from the national park in his native Kagoshima Prefecture. He did not become established as an elite sekitori wrestler until November 1983 when he produced a 9-6 score at the rank of juryo 10 (he had made the juryo division briefly in May 1982 but had lasted only one tournament there). He reached the top makuuchi division for the first time in July 1984.
One of the lightest wrestlers in the division, Kirishima earned a reputation as a giant killer, defeating heavyweights such as Onokuni and Konishiki several times. However, he seemed to struggle when promoted out of the maegashira ranks. In his first tournament as a sekiwake in January 1987 he could only manage a 3-12 record, and at komusubi rank in January 1989 he recorded a dismal 1-14. However, later that year he began a new training regime. In addition to his usual practice matches at Izutsu stable, he did regular weight training at a private gymnasium, and supplemented his normal sumo diet with a specially prepared high calorie and high protein drink. His efforts paid off. He returned to komusubi in November 1989 scoring 10 wins, and then turned in an 11-4 mark and runner-up performance in January 1990. In March 1990 at sekiwake he produced a superb 13-2 record and took part in a rare three way playoff with Konishiki and Hokutoumi. Although Hokutoumi took the title, after the tournament Kirishima was promoted to ozeki.
Kirishima had reached sumo's second highest rank at the age of nearly 31, and the 91 tournaments it took him is the slowest ever promotion to ozeki. The highlight of his career came in January 1991 when he took his first tournament title, gaining his revenge on Hokutoumi by defeating him on the last day. It was also the first top division championship for Izutsu stable in over sixty years. Kirishima was also runner-up in the tournaments of September 1991, March 1992 and July 1992. However, in September of that year he could only manage a 7-8 score, and he had to pull out of the November tournament with an injury after only one win. As a result, he lost his ozeki status.
Rather than retire, Kirishima chose to carry on fighting in the maegashira ranks. In March 1996 he produced a poor 3-12 record, and facing certain demotion to juryo, he announced his retirement after 21 years in the sport. Staying in the sumo world as a coach, he is now the head of Michinoku stable. It currently has two wrestlers with makuuchi experience, Jumonji and Toyozakura.
