Kazakh professional sumo wrestler Ersin Baltagul (Kimboszan Haruki) achieved a significant milestone in the country history by securing third place at the Hatsu Basho 2025 tournament held in Tokyo, Japan, reports the Adyrna national portal.
With this achievement, Kimboszan has become a source of pride for Kazakh sumo fans.
After the main stage of the tournament, three wrestlers Kazakh Kimboszan Haruki, Mongolian Hoshoryu Tomokatsu, and Japanese Oho Konosuke ended with identical results. To determine the champion, an additional round (Tomoe-sen) was organized, where each wrestler had to defeat their opponents twice. In the first match, Hoshoryu defeated Kimboszan, and in the next bout, Japanese wrestler Oho defeated both opponents, claiming the tournament’s championship title. As a result, Oho secured second place, while Kimboszan finished in third.
Until the decisive day, Kimboszan led the standings with 12 wins and 2 losses. However, in the final match, he was defeated by Japanese wrestler Oho Konosuke. At the same time, Hoshoryu also secured a victory, leading to a tie among the three wrestlers and necessitating a mini-tournament to break the tie.
Kimboszan is the first Kazakh wrestler in professional sumo history to reach such a level. His endurance and technique have earned high praise from fans and experts. There is strong confidence that Ersin Baltagul will fight for the championship title again in the future.
