Japan's Kobayashi might drop out of hot dog eating championship

NEW YORK (AFP) — Discomfort from a pulled wisdom tooth might force Japan's Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi to drop out of Wednesday's Hot Dog Eating contest that he has won six years in a row.

"I don't know yet," the 29-year-old told AFP through an interpreter when asked if he would face his 16 rivals, including record-holder Joey Chestnut, at the annual July 4 hot dog-eating event sponsored by Nathan's Famous, a weenie-emporium in New York's Coney Island.

International Federation of Competitive Eating chairman George Shea said Kobayashi would compete "under huge burden. He has arthritis in the jaw," after his dental surgery.

"I am going to rest today," said the Japanese champion, who denied his jaw problem was a ploy to disconcert his rivals. "I don't have time for this," he said.

The 70-kilo (154-pound) Kobayashi has caused a ...