TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Ozeki Hoshoryu handed overnight leader Kinbozan his second defeat of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday, but the wrestler from Kazakhstan stayed one win clear in the championship race after nearest rival Oho lost to fellow title-chaser Kirishima.

With three days remaining at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, No. 14 maegashira Kinbozan retains sole possession of first place at 10-2, while Hoshoryu now shares the second rung of the leaderboard at 9-3 with rank-and-file wrestlers Oho, Kirishima and Takerufuji, who stunned ozeki Kotozakura.

Coming off a win against Onosato, Kinbozan could not claim another ozeki victim, with his weak opening charge enabling Hoshoryu to quickly clinch the marquee bout by slap down. The result keeps alive the Mongolian ozeki's bid for a second Emperor's Cup and accompanying promotion to yokozuna.

November champion Kotozakura, who also came in as a yokozuna promotion candidate, now faces the likelihood of starting the next meet as a demotion-threatened "kadoban" ozeki after his defeat to No. 11 maegashira Takerufuji nudged him to the brink of a losing record at 5-7.

Takerufuji, champion of the March 2024 tourney, demonstrated balance and strength as he won the battle of powerfully built rikishi with a thrust-down reversal at the edge.

"Fighting the top-ranked wrestlers is what we aim for, and it's good to be back up here taking them on again," said Takerufuji, who spent time outside the top division through injury after his breakthrough title. "As long as I do my sumo, I think I'll be good enough to match them."

No. 3 maegashira Oho started the day outright second but failed to grab a share of the lead as he was spun around and thrown down from the rear by former ozeki Kirishima, currently competing as a No. 1 maegashira.

Ozeki Onosato (8-4) secured a winning record with an overwhelming force-out victory over No. 5 maegashira Chiyoshoma (8-4) in the final bout of Day 12. Sekiwake Daieisho also logged his all-important eighth win via frontal thrust down against No. 4 maegashira Ura (6-6).