After ending an eight-month barren stretch with a record-extending 37th career championship in March, Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho looks to be the slight favorite going into the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament getting underway in Tokyo on Sunday.
But Kisenosato will have other ideas as the ozeki looks to build on a 13-2 showing at the Spring Basho and says he is ready to pull out all the stops to claim his first title at the 15-day meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Kisenosato had been tipped as the man most likely to end a 10-year trophy drought for Japanese wrestlers at the New Year basho in January, only for Kotoshogiku to steal the show and pull off a shock championship win.