- published: 27 Sep 2015
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Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi (born 13 October 1987 as Levan Gorgadze, Georgian: ლევან გორგაძე) is a professional sumo wrestler from Mtskheta, Georgia. He is a member of the Kasugano stable and made his debut in March 2006. He reached the top makuuchi division just two years later in May 2008. His highest rank has been komusubi.
As a teenager he practised judo and sambo. He competed in amateur sumo at the World Junior Championships in 2004, held in Osaka, Japan and at the World Championships in 2005. He trained at the prestigious Nichidai sumo club at Nihon University and it was a member of that club who encouraged him to turn professional.
At the beginning of 2006 he was recruited by the former sekiwake Tochinowaka. After eleven straight kachi-koshi or winning scores he gained sekitori status in January 2008 upon promotion to the jūryō division and immediately took the yusho or championship in that division with a 12-3 record.
He took his first ever make-koshi or losing score in his top division debut in May 2008, but still won enough bouts to remain in the division. He reached maegashira 4 in November 2008, but facing the highest ranking men for the first time he could only record three wins against twelve losses. However, in July 2009 he produced a good score of 9-6 at maegashira 5, and was promoted to his highest ever rank of maegashira 1 in the September tournament. He could manage only four wins there, but had the best result of his career to date in November, finishing runner-up to Hakuho on 12-3 and winning his first special prize, Fighting Spirit. However, his defeat to Hokutoriki on the final day cost him a chance of making his debut in the titled sanyaku ranks in January 2010.