His weight continued to increase and he became susceptible to belt throws and slap downs by lighter and more agile opponents. However, he continued to compete in the top maegashira division for another four years. Konishiki retained his ozeki ranking for 39 tournaments over more than six years, but he eventually lost it in November 1993 after two consecutive losing records.
At a typical fighting weight of 287 kg (630 lb) he was also the heaviest rikishi ever in sumo, earning him the nickname 'The Dump Truck'. During his career he won the top division championship on three occasions and came close to becoming the first foreign-born grand champion, or yokozuna, prompting a debate as to whether a foreigner could have the necessary cultural understanding to be acceptable in sumo's ultimate rank. He was the first foreign-born wrestler to reach ozeki, the second highest rank in the sport. Konishiki Yasokichi (born on December 31, 1963), is a Hawaiian-born Japanese–Samoan former sumo wrestler. The following information is NOT printed on this postcard:
