KAIN
"Nov. 6, 2003 10:16 p.m.
TOKYO (AP)â??
Former sumo grand champion Akebono said Thursday he has formally quit the sumo world and will launch a new career in Japan's K-1, a brutal sport that combines elements of karate, kickboxing and taekwondo.
Akebono, a Hawaii native and the first foreigner ever to reach sumo's highest rank, had retired from the ring in 2001 but remained a senior member of the association.
The soft-spoken 34-year-old tendered his resignation to sumo's governing body on Wednesday. He said he decided to come out of retirement for his three children, who were too young to witness his peak as a dominant "yokozuna," or grand champion.
"My kids probably don't remember seeing their father in sumo. I wanted them to see their father fight," he told a press conference televised live by several broadcasters. "I couldn't suppress my feeling of wanting to return to fight."
Akebono said he would take on former NFL lineman Bob Sapp, nicknamed "The Beast," in his debut K-1 match on Dec. 31.
Under an agreement with the K-1 organization that promotes fights for eight matches in Japan, Akebono might also face ex-heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, said K-1 producer Sadaharu Tanigaki. Tyson signed a K-1 contract in August.
Akebono, born Chad George Rowan, was 18 when he arrived in Japan to become a sumo wrestler in 1988. He changed his name to Taro Akebono after switching his American citizenship to Japanese.
Forced to retire from sumo due to persistent knee problems, the 203 centimeter, 220 kilogram (6-foot-9, 484 pound) Akebono had overcome considerable concerns about whether a foreigner should be allowed to hold the coveted title of yokozuna.
Five years after his debut in the professional ranks, Akebono was promoted to yokozuna in 1993. The title is more than a sports achievement - it is considered a mark of honor, and the behavior of its holders are held up to very high standards.
But he proved himself more than worthy, winning 11 career titles. Two other foreign-born wrestlers have since made the highest rank - Hawaii's Musashimaru, and Asashoryu, of Mongolia.
Akebono sought to downplay speculation that he might be hobbled by his weight and possible injuries in K-1, as he was at the twilight of his sumo career.
"When I retired from sumo my body was in bad shape. I have been recovering, slowly but surely," he said.
K-1 is wildly popular in Japan, where bouts are regularly staged before crowds of up to 70,000. The sport has held events in the United States and is seeking expansion there.""
heheh każdy chce tysona i sappa
)))
HIT & HIIT Jedi
http://www.mma.sfd.pl/
TOKYO (AP)â??
Former sumo grand champion Akebono said Thursday he has formally quit the sumo world and will launch a new career in Japan's K-1, a brutal sport that combines elements of karate, kickboxing and taekwondo.
Akebono, a Hawaii native and the first foreigner ever to reach sumo's highest rank, had retired from the ring in 2001 but remained a senior member of the association.
The soft-spoken 34-year-old tendered his resignation to sumo's governing body on Wednesday. He said he decided to come out of retirement for his three children, who were too young to witness his peak as a dominant "yokozuna," or grand champion.
"My kids probably don't remember seeing their father in sumo. I wanted them to see their father fight," he told a press conference televised live by several broadcasters. "I couldn't suppress my feeling of wanting to return to fight."
Akebono said he would take on former NFL lineman Bob Sapp, nicknamed "The Beast," in his debut K-1 match on Dec. 31.
Under an agreement with the K-1 organization that promotes fights for eight matches in Japan, Akebono might also face ex-heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, said K-1 producer Sadaharu Tanigaki. Tyson signed a K-1 contract in August.
Akebono, born Chad George Rowan, was 18 when he arrived in Japan to become a sumo wrestler in 1988. He changed his name to Taro Akebono after switching his American citizenship to Japanese.
Forced to retire from sumo due to persistent knee problems, the 203 centimeter, 220 kilogram (6-foot-9, 484 pound) Akebono had overcome considerable concerns about whether a foreigner should be allowed to hold the coveted title of yokozuna.
Five years after his debut in the professional ranks, Akebono was promoted to yokozuna in 1993. The title is more than a sports achievement - it is considered a mark of honor, and the behavior of its holders are held up to very high standards.
But he proved himself more than worthy, winning 11 career titles. Two other foreign-born wrestlers have since made the highest rank - Hawaii's Musashimaru, and Asashoryu, of Mongolia.
Akebono sought to downplay speculation that he might be hobbled by his weight and possible injuries in K-1, as he was at the twilight of his sumo career.
"When I retired from sumo my body was in bad shape. I have been recovering, slowly but surely," he said.
K-1 is wildly popular in Japan, where bouts are regularly staged before crowds of up to 70,000. The sport has held events in the United States and is seeking expansion there.""
heheh każdy chce tysona i sappa
)))
HIT & HIIT Jedi
http://www.mma.sfd.pl/
Krzysztof Piekarz
UNO
Marian.B.
Anonim
Anjew
paabloo
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