Viloria wins after 16-month absence

Waipahu’s Brian Viloria ended a nearly 16-month absence from the ring with a unanimous decision victory over Ruben Montoya Thursday in Tokyo.

Viloria outpointed his opponent from Mexico in the eight-round, super flyweight non-title bout, 78-74, 78-75 and 77-75 on the judges’ cards.

“There was some rust but Brian was dominant,” manager Gary Gittelsohn said in an email to the Star-Advertiser.

The 36-year-old Viloria is hoping to earn a shot at a fifth world title. He lost the World Boxing Council world flyweight championship to Roman Gonzales in October of 2015 at Madison Square Garden, his last fight before meeting Montoya.

Retired sumo champion Konishiki was among the crowd at the Ryogoku Kokugikan supporting Viloria, who raised his record to 37-5. Montoya is 14-5-1.

The bout was on the undercard of Shinsuke Yamanaka’s seventh-round TKO of Carlos Carlson for the WBC world bantamweight title.