Sumo great Taiho, 72, dies

TOKYO, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Sumo great Taiho, who held the record for most career championships, died Saturday at a Tokyo hospital, the Japan Sumo Association said. He was 72.

Taiho, who was born Koki Naya on the Russian island of Sakhalin, won 32 titles, starting with the Kyushu tournament in 1960, Kyodo News reported.

By the time he retired in 1971, he had won six tournaments in a row twice in his career, finished eight tournaments unbeaten and once had a 45-match winning streak.