Hakuho zeroed in on his fourth consecutive title and 32nd of his career with a clinical win over fellow Mongolian yokozuna Harumafuji at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday.

Hakuho (13-1) was quick on his feet and yanked Harumafuji (10-4) around by the arm before marching him out from behind to stay one win clear of another Mongolian yokozuna, Kakuryu, going into the final day at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

On Sunday, Hakuho faces Kakuryu, who he has beaten 33 times in 37 previous meetings at grand tournaments, and a win will see him match the all-time record of 32 career titles held by Taiho.

Kakuryu kept his title hopes alive with an impressive pulling overarm throw against Kotoshogiku (6-8) and sentenced the ozeki to a losing record in front of his home fans in the process.

In other bouts of note, newly promoted sekiwake Ichinojo (8-6) secured a winning record with a well-worked slap down of ozeki Kisenosato, who dropped to 10-4.

Goeido's second tournament as an ozeki (5-9) took another turn for the worse as he allowed Brazilian No. 4 maegashira Kasei (6-8) to get a firm right-handed grip on the back of his belt and send him to the dirt with an overarm throw.

Georgian grappler Tochinoshin got back to winning ways and improved his record to 11-3 in his first tournament back in the makuuchi division after taking out 11th-ranked Myogiryu (9-5) with a beltless arm throw.

Bulgarian-born sekiwake Aoiyama spurned the chance to clinch a majority of wins with a day to spare when he got shoved out by No. 3 maegashira Terunofuji. Both wrestlers go into the final day with 7-7 records.

Further down the rankings, 40-year-old Mongolian No. 11 maegashira Kyokutenho pulled down 10th-ranked Tamawashi (7-7) to score a ninth win.