Kaneshiro Kōfuku

Kaneshiro Kōfuku (February 27, 1953 - December 29, 2002) was a sumo wrestler from Takanabe, Miyazaki, Japan. He made his professional debut in September 1969, and reached the top division in September 1974. His highest rank was sekiwake. He earned two kinboshi for defeating yokozuna Wajima when ranked as a maegashira, but was never able to defeat yokozuna Kitanoumi, losing to him 29 straight times, which is a record for consecutive losses against the same opponent. After being runner-up in the January 1979 tournament and winning the Fighting Spirit prize he changed his shikona or fighting name to Tochihikari, in honour of ōzeki Tochihikari Masayuki, who also fought for Kasugano stable. However, after falling back to the jūryō division in 1985, he was no longer considered worthy of such a prestigious name and so reverted to Kaneshiro, his birth name.[1] He left the sumo world upon retirement in May 1987, unable to acquire elder stock in the Japan Sumo Association and remain as a coach. This was because the Sumo Association had introduced a rule in 1976 requiring Japanese citizenship to become an elder, and Kaneshiro, because of his Korean parentage, was not eligible by birth and could not acquire citizenship until it was too late.[1]

He died at the age of 49, from a heart attack.[2]