Hakuho inched closer to etching his name in history for sole ownership of the all-time record but fellow yokozuna Kakuryu was sent to a shock first-defeat on the second day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday.

Hakuho, who is chasing his 33rd career Emperor's Cup to surpass sumo legend Taiho for the most championships ever, once again was poetry in motion as he disposed of Georgian-born Tochinoshin to improve to 2-0.

Kakuryu, looking for his first title as a yokozuna, tried to keep Takarafuji (1-1) at bay with a salvo of slaps, but his top-ranked maegashira opponent found his way inside to send the yokozuna toppling by uwatenage.