The best hot dog eater in the world misses being challenged. Joey Chestnut has won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest seven years in a row. The last time Takeru Kobayashi won was in 2006, when he edged out Chestnut by just 1 1/2 hot dogs. Chestnut and Kobayashi had some epic battles for three years after that, but Chestnut hasn’t really been challenged since Kobayashi bowed out.
While not having to compete against Kobayashi makes Chestnut’s job easier, he wishes the Japanese legend would return to give him a push.
“I hope he does (come back),” Chestnut told TMZ earlier this week. “He’s a great competitor and if he learned how to go back to the drawing board after losing instead of just, I don’t know, finding a reason not to eat.
“I miss competing against him.”
Kobayashi has had issues with Major League Eating that have resulted in his decision to not compete in the annual 4th of July contest, but Chestnut seemed to imply that his rival got tired of losing. In recent years, Chestnut has basically been competing against himself and trying to set records.
Maybe those fightin’ words will light a fire under Kobayashi.
