'Passionate Man' Who Faced Choi Hong-man... Defeated 200kg Foreign Cheonhajangsa Due to 'Heart Failure' [Japanese Side]

Akebono Taro from Hawaii Passes Away at 54
Sumo and K-1 Continuous Matches... Japan Mourns

This week in Japan, news broke of the passing of Akebono Taro, the first foreign sumo Yokozuna (grand champion). He was known in South Korea as a sumo wrestler who fought three matches against Choi Hong-man. He was 54 years old. As a figure who sparked the sumo boom in the 1990s, there is a strong wave of mourning in Japan.

Akebono was born on May 8, 1969, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, USA. His real name was Chadwick Haheo Rowan, but after naturalizing in Japan, he adopted a Japanese name.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Originally a basketball player, Akebono switched to sumo after conflicts with his coach. He made his sumo debut in March 1988. Standing over 2 meters tall and weighing more than 200 kg, his specialty was pushing techniques. Many fans were drawn to his matches where he would completely push opponents out of the ring. After a series of victories, he was promoted to the 64th Yokozuna in the Ozumo professional sumo league in 1993. He was the first foreigner ever to achieve this. The Yokozuna title is awarded to the number one in Ozumo and is similar in status to the Cheonhajangsa title in Korean ssireum wrestling.

Later, he engaged in fierce rivalry with Japanese sumo wrestlers Wakanohana and Takanohana, who debuted at the same time, creating tension as a pride battle between foreign and Japanese sumo wrestlers. Thanks to this, the 1990s truly saw a sumo boom. In 1996, he fully naturalized as a Japanese citizen and took the name Akebono Taro. He went on to win 11 championships, surpassing Japanese wrestlers one after another. Takanohana once said in his Yokozuna retirement press conference, when asked if he had a rival, "No," but then added, "If I had to pick one, it would be Akebono." Coincidentally, their head-to-head record was evenly split at 21 wins and 21 losses.

Akebono retired from active competition in 2001 and remained in the Japan Sumo Association as a coach, but suddenly left the association in November 2003. He then declared his intention to participate in the stand-up fighting sport 'K-1.' This was also the first time a former Yokozuna switched to a different sport.

Akebono Taro, who won the championship trophy in 1992. (Photo by NHK)

However, unlike his strengths as a sumo wrestler, he struggled in martial arts. In his 2003 debut match, he was completely defeated by Bob Sapp, which became a hot topic. His K-1 record was a disappointing 1 win and 9 losses. As a result, he earned the nickname "Makebono," combining his name Akebono with the Japanese word for defeat, "makeru (負ける)." The media analyzed that his poor performance was due to his late 30s age for a fighter, excessive weight, and rules of martial arts that did not suit his fighting style. He even injured his knee due to weight gain and injuries, eventually leading to retirement.

He also fought Choi Hong-man three times, which was a major topic in both countries as a Korea vs. Japan match between a Korean ssireum Cheonhajangsa and a Japanese sumo Yokozuna. However, he lost all three matches. Akebono lost by KO to Choi Hong-man despite losing over 30 kg and shaving his head to try to win. After defeating Akebono three times in a row, Choi Hong-man even skipped his famous "Techno Goliath" dance ceremony in the last match and helped Akebono up. Still, Akebono showed strong will by founding a martial arts organization in 2015 and continuing to compete.

The match footage of Akebono Taro competing against Choi Hong-man. (Photo by YouTube channel 格?技配信)

Suddenly, on April 12, 2017, Weekly Bunshun reported Akebono's hospitalization. The day before, he had participated in a charity event in Kumamoto Prefecture and later appeared in a pro wrestling match in Fukuoka. Although he was scheduled to compete on the 12th, he canceled due to poor condition. While receiving an IV drip at the hospital due to his poor condition, his health suddenly worsened, causing cardiac arrest, and he was moved to the intensive care unit. He continued to battle illness and ultimately passed away this month from heart failure.

On social media (SNS), the wave of mourning continues. Especially among those who remember the sumo boom of the 1990s, posts ranged from "Akebono was the person who made me interested in sumo" to "Thank you for the many great matches and moving moments." Even fans who supported Japanese wrestlers mourned him in unison, saying, "He was a person so strong it was almost hateful."

Above all, despite his poor record, his relentless spirit to continue competing in K-1 and pro wrestling until he collapsed has moved many people deeply, even belatedly.