WBA undefeated champ John too much for Takemoto

WBA undefeated champ John too much for Takemoto

KOBE, Japan - WBA featherweight champion Chris John lands a right on Japanese challenger Zaiki Takemoto as the referee tries to stop the fight at the end of the ninth round in a world title match in Kobe on Aug. 19 to successfully retain his title for the eighth consecutive time. The Indonesian boxer improved to 40-0 with one draw and 21 knockouts after Takemoto was unable to stand for the 10th round. Takemoto, appearing in his first world title bout, slipped to 21-7-1 (12 KOs).

Canada wins gold medal in men's ice hockey

Canada wins gold medal in men's ice hockey

SOCHI, Russia - Members of the Canadian ice hockey team pose for photos with their gold medals after defeating Sweden 3-0 in the men's final at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Feb. 23, 2014. It was Canada's second consecutive Olympic gold and ninth Olympic title overall.

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Japan's two-time Olympic wrestling champion Saori Yoshida raises her fist after beating Canada's Tonya Verbeek in the final women's 55-kilogram division at the world wrestling championships in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sept. 15, 2011. The victory was her ninth consecutive world title.

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Japan's two-time Olympic wrestling champion Saori Yoshida holds the gold medal after beating Canada's Tonya Verbeek in the final women's 55-kilogram division at the world wrestling championships in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sept. 15, 2011. The victory was her ninth consecutive world title.

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Japan's two-time Olympic wrestling champion Saori Yoshida (L) raises her fist after beating Canada's Tonya Verbeek (R) in the final women's 55-kilogram division at the world wrestling championships in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sept. 15, 2011. The victory was her ninth consecutive world title.

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Maki Tsukada poses with the winner's cup and flag after beating Mika Sugimoto in the open weight category final to win her ninth consecutive title at the women's national championships at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama on April 18, 2010.

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Maki Tsukada sends Mika Sugimoto to the mat with an outer leg sweep in the open weight category final to win her ninth consecutive title at the women's national championships at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama on April 18, 2010.

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Maki Tsukada reacts after sending Mika Sugimoto to the mat with an outer leg sweep in the open weight category final to win her ninth consecutive title at the women's national championships at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama on April 18, 2010.

Hakuho wins 9th career title at Kyushu sumo

Hakuho wins 9th career title at Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Japan - Mongolian grand champion Hakuho (C), holding his daughter, smiles with his career ninth Emperor's Cup after he overpowered countryman Ama in a playoff to win his third consecutive title at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Nov 23.

Swimming: Japanese national championships

Swimming: Japanese national championships

Ryosuke Irie competes en route to winning his ninth consecutive 100-meter backstroke title at the national championships at Yokohama International Swimming Pool in Yokohama, Japan, on April 29, 2022.

Swimming: Japanese national championships

Swimming: Japanese national championships

Ryosuke Irie reacts after winning his ninth consecutive 100-meter backstroke title at the national championships at Yokohama International Swimming Pool in Yokohama, Japan, on April 29, 2022.

TOP 10 WORLD ATHLETES OF 2021

TOP 10 WORLD ATHLETES OF 2021

(211229) -- BEIJING, Dec. 29, 2021 (Xinhua) -- File photo taken on Nov. 29, 2021 shows Robert Lewandowski speaking after receiving the Striker of the Year award at the ceremony for the 2021 Ballon d'Or held in Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, France. Lewandowski, 33, scored 41 goals in the 2020-21 season to beat Gerd Muller's goalscoring record for a single season and help Bayern Munich win the ninth consecutive Bundesliga title. He also won the European Golden Boot as the continent's top goalscorer for the 2020-21 season and Striker of the Year at the 2021 Ballon d'Or. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)

WBA undefeated champ John too much for Takemoto

WBA undefeated champ John too much for Takemoto

KOBE, Japan - WBA featherweight champion Chris John lands a right on Japanese challenger Zaiki Takemoto as the referee tries to stop the fight at the end of the ninth round in a world title match in Kobe on Aug. 19 to successfully retain his title for the eighth consecutive time. The Indonesian boxer improved to 40-0 with one draw and 21 knockouts after Takemoto was unable to stand for the 10th round. Takemoto, appearing in his first world title bout, slipped to 21-7-1 (12 KOs). (Kyodo)

Hakuho wins 9th career title at Kyushu sumo

Hakuho wins 9th career title at Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Japan - Mongolian grand champion Hakuho (C), holding his daughter, smiles with his career ninth Emperor's Cup after he overpowered countryman Ama in a playoff to win his third consecutive title at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Nov 23. (Kyodo)

Uchimura wins 9th title at national gymnastics championships

Uchimura wins 9th title at national gymnastics championships

Six-time all-around world champion Kohei Uchimura performs on the horizontal bar during the men's all-around final at the All-Japan Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo on April 3, 2016. Uchimura won a record-extending ninth consecutive national title. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Uchimura wins 9th title at gymnastics championships

Uchimura wins 9th title at gymnastics championships

Six-time all-around world champion Kohei Uchimura performs his floor exercise during the men's all-around final at the All-Japan Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo on April 3, 2016. Uchimura won a record-extending ninth consecutive national title. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Maki Tsukada reacts after sending Mika Sugimoto to the mat with an outer leg sweep in the open weight category final to win her ninth consecutive title at the women's national championships at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama on April 18, 2010. (Kyodo)

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Maki Tsukada poses with the winner's cup and flag after beating Mika Sugimoto in the open weight category final to win her ninth consecutive title at the women's national championships at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama on April 18, 2010. (Kyodo)

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

Tsukada wins 9th consecutive title at national championships

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Maki Tsukada sends Mika Sugimoto to the mat with an outer leg sweep in the open weight category final to win her ninth consecutive title at the women's national championships at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama on April 18, 2010. (Kyodo)

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Japan's two-time Olympic wrestling champion Saori Yoshida (L) raises her fist after beating Canada's Tonya Verbeek (R) in the final women's 55-kilogram division at the world wrestling championships in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sept. 15, 2011. The victory was her ninth consecutive world title. (Kyodo)

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Japan's two-time Olympic wrestling champion Saori Yoshida raises her fist after beating Canada's Tonya Verbeek in the final women's 55-kilogram division at the world wrestling championships in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sept. 15, 2011. The victory was her ninth consecutive world title. (Kyodo)

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

Yoshida wins 9th consecutive world title

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Japan's two-time Olympic wrestling champion Saori Yoshida holds the gold medal after beating Canada's Tonya Verbeek in the final women's 55-kilogram division at the world wrestling championships in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sept. 15, 2011. The victory was her ninth consecutive world title. (Kyodo)

Baseball: Dodgers clinch NL West title

Baseball: Dodgers clinch NL West title

Los Angeles Dodgers players in the dugout react after Corey Seager hits a game-tying solo home run in the ninth inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 25, 2016. The Dodgers clinched their fourth consecutive National League West title when Charlie Culberson hit a walk-off solo homer in the 10th to give them a 4-3 win. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo