A contributing influence on the sumo arena, Kotoōshū Katsunori is a former sumo wrestler who depicts a net worth of over $5 million.
Well, he is a Bulgarian by birth but later gained Japanese citizenship and became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association.
As a matter of fact, Kotooshu starred at the top division of the sumo wrestlers’ chart just within two years of his entrance on the field.
Also, by 2005, he was already the second-highest level in the sumo ranking system.
Indeed, he became the ōzeki or ‘champion’ three years later after his debut. For the achievement, his name is written down in the books of history.
Today, he is the foremost European sumo wrestler to have bagged the Emperor’s Cup.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Andō Karoyan (former name: Kaloyan Stefanov Mahlyanov) |
| Date of Birth | February 19, 1983 |
| Birth Place | Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria |
| Nick Name | Sumo David Beckham |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Ethnicity | Unknown |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Age | 41 years old |
| Height | 2.03 meters (6’8″) |
| Weight | 153 kg (337 lb) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Name unknown |
| Mother’s Name | Name unknown |
| Siblings | Unknown |
| Education | Nippon Sport Science University |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Asako Ando (m. 2010) |
| Kids | Kiril Andō |
| Profession | Former sumo wrestler |
| Stable | Sadogatake |
| Highest Rank | Ōzeki (January 2006) |
| Elder Name | Naruto |
| Active Years |
|
| Net Worth | Over $5 million |
| Social Media | |
| Sumo Merch | Wrestling Suit |
| Last Update | January, 2025 |
How much has Kotoōshū Katsunori earned to date? – Net Worth and Earnings
To date, Kotoōshū Katsunori hasn’t really opened about his career earnings and net worth. Hence, it is estimated to go over $5 million.
Furthermore, there is also not more information about his career deals and contracts.
Anyways, as the first European to have achieved the mile, he is quite popular.
Likewise, as one of the most popular people in Japan, singer Ayaya is his biggest fan. Together, they have also shot commercials.
Talking about it, Kotoōshū features numerous commercials for the yogurt companies.
Apparently, the Japanese dairy company Meiji Dairies Corporation sells yogurt as Bulgarian yogurt.
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Net Worth of Kotoōshū Katsunori in Different Currencies
Let’s have a look into Kotoōshū Katsunori’s net worth in different currencies, including the cryptocurrency BitCoin.
This will guide you to estimate his earnings in your familiar currency value.
| Currency | Net Worth |
| Euro | €4.2 million |
| Pound Sterling | £3.5 million |
| Australian Dollar | A$6.69 million |
| Canadian Dollar | C$6.2 million |
| Indian Rupee | ₹372,410,000 |
| BitCoin | ฿145 |
Naruto Stable
In April 2017, Kotoōshū Katsunori opened up his own training stable for sumo wrestlers named Naruto Stable. As it opened on April 1, around one hundred people attended the opening ceremony.
Initially, this foundation started with just three wrestlers, and today it features numerous wrestlers associated with the foundation. Currently, the referee is Shikimori Komei.
Also, this foundation was developed for the sole purpose of commencing his own training methods.
For illustration, it is based on Kotoōshū’s sumo experience and studies at both Bulgarian and Japanese universities.
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Kotoōshū Katsunori | Lifestyle
Kotoōshū wasn’t born into a well-off family from the start. Also, his family struggled more after his father got into a traffic accident that left him unable to work.
As per Kotoōshū, this was one of the major reasons he took up sumo wrestling; he wanted to uplift and help his family.
Most of the time, he gets confused as to why Japanese people still ask for money from their parents.
Well, Kotoōshū is more about giving to his parents back. Also, he often sends his parents money, or at times, it includes gifts.
As we say gifts, relate to the machinery that helps with their household works. Some of it includes a washing and drying machine for his mother and a wristwatch for his father.
Likewise, he had even gifted them two cars; a Ford car and a new Toyota Land Cruiser.
Awards
- 2005 Athlete Number 1 in Veliko Tarnovo district
- 2006 Honorary Citizen of Lyaskovets
- 2006 Goodwill Ambassador to Japan by the European Union
- 2009 Order of Stara Planina by the President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov
General Facts on Kotoōshū Katsunori
Below are some of the general facts on Kotoōshū Katsunori.
- Katsunori is widely known as Sumo David Beckham in Japan due to his good looks. However, he has always portrayed his displeasure in that nickname.
- On December 31, 2005, Katsunori became the special judge for the 56th edition of Japan’s annual Kouhaku Utagassen.
- Katsunori has had two wedding styles and his second wedding took around the May 2010 tournament. Unfortunately, back then, he has to postpone his marriage due to his right knee injury.
Likes and Dislikes
- Favorite color: Blue
- Favorite food: Ramen
- Hobby: Golf
- Favorite place: Hokkaido and Okinawa
- Dislikes: Gambling
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Social Media
Kotoōshū Katsunori is not active on his social media pages. However, you can find him on his Twitter account. He is on Twitter as Kotoōshū Katsunori (@Kotoōshū) with 114 followers.
QnA with Kotooshu Katsunori
“Why did you choose Sumo? What was it about Sumo that you found to be something that you wanted to do?”
“Because in Sumo, you can eat as much as you want while in wrestling, I always had to control my diet to stay in my category. I was always in the heaviest category, but I could never keep my weight low enough to be in it.”
“How did you begin this transformation into becoming a Sumo wrestler?”
In the beginning, I was very, very hard…I couldn’t even communicate with people. But with time, after I learn Japanese, I started understanding their traditions.
“What’s the next goal that you have set yourself?”
“My next goal is to become the champion of the tournament. Last year I missed the chance twice…Now, I’m getting better, and next year, I’m hoping for a first victory in the tournament.”
(The above conversation is extracted from an interview of Kotooshu Katsunori, featured on CNN’s Talk Asia program, which aired in Japan back in 2006.)
