Injured yokozuna Hakuho, who will miss the upcoming Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, said Friday he will have surgery on his right big toe to remove a bone chip.
Hakuho, who hurt the toe on the ninth day of the Nagoya tourney in July before he posted a disappointing 10-5 record, will be hospitalized for around a day after going under the knife on Monday.
The 31-year-old Mongolian also hurt other parts of his body as he continued to wrestle despite the injury through the regional tour in August, and was ruled out for four weeks, according to a medical certificate dated Wednesday that was released by the Japan Sumo Association on Friday.
"It aches when I sit in a ritual squat probably because (the bone chip) moves around inside," Hakuho told reporters.
He was also diagnosed with a damaged tendon and inflammation to his right ankle as well as left knee joint derangement, the certificate said.