TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Rank-and-file wrestler Kinbozan continued his stunning championship bid at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday, upsetting ozeki Kotozakura to remain the outright leader.

The No. 14 maegashira from Kazakhstan improved his record to 11-2 to stay one win ahead of ozeki Hoshoryu and maegashira Kirishima, Oho and Takerufuji heading into the final weekend of the 15-day tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.

Contesting the closing bout of Day 13, Kinbozan opened with a powerful stiff-arm shove and maintained his momentum to push out Kotozakura (5-8), who started the tournament as a yokozuna promotion candidate but will now enter the next meet as a demotion-threatened "kadoban" ozeki.

The result leaves Kinbozan with a 2-1 record against ozeki opponents at the tournament, having lost to Hoshoryu a day earlier and beaten Onosato on Wednesday.

"I was able to keep moving forward and push all the way," said Kinbozan, the winner of the second-tier juryo division in November. "Today I stayed calm. Yesterday was yesterday. I want to clinch a championship."

Yokozuna aspirant Hoshoryu won a marquee battle against Onosato (8-5), holding his ground before twisting the powerfully built ozeki off his feet with a headlock throw. The nephew of Mongolian former yokozuna Asashoryu is unlikely to attain sumo's top rank with anything short of the championship.

No. 3 maegashira Oho kept up his pursuit of a maiden Emperor's Cup with a convincing win against No. 4 maegashira Ura (6-7). The grandson of former yokozuna Taiho kept his smaller, nimble opponent away from his belt before slapping him to the clay.

Mongolian No. 1 maegashira Kirishima stayed on the second rung thanks to a narrow escape against fellow ex-ozeki Takayasu. No. 6 maegashira Takayasu (7-6) exited the ring first while going for a crush out, handing Kirishima a 10th consecutive victory.

No. 11 maegashira Takerufuji tackled komusubi Abi (7-6) off the dohyo for a push-out victory upheld by the officials after they conferred to make sure the March 2024 tournament winner did not step out first.