The Japan Sumo Association approved the promotion of Mongolian Hakuho to ozeki Wednesday, making him the sixth foreign-born wrestler to reach sumo's second-highest rank.
Hakuho talks to the media as his father Munkhbat Jigjid looks on at a press conference in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, after Hakuho was promoted to ozeki.
The promotion of Hakuho, 21, was finalized unanimously by JSA executives and officials who worked on the rankings for the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in May, when he will step into the raised ring just one rank below compatriot and dominant yokozuna Asashoryu.
Hakuho, whose real name is Munkhbat Davaajargal, is the fourth-youngest wrestler in modern sumo history to be promoted to ozeki after Takanohana, Taiho and current JSA Chairman Kitanoumi, who all went on to become yokozuna legends.