It was almost three years ago when the events of September 11th in New York City forced Bernard Hopkins and Puerto Rican Felix Trinidad to postpone their fight at Madison Square Gardens by two weeks. This Saturday September 11th, rising prospect Miguel Cotto will take on undefeated Brazillian Kelson Pinto in Cotto's home of Puerto Rico.

With only twenty fights under his belt, the 23-year-old Cotto has already established himself as THE hottest prospect in boxing, his stock rising over the likes of Domenick Guinn, Jermain Taylor, Francisco Bojado, and fellow undefeated Puerto Rican Kermit Cintron, as the one to look out for. With a perfect record of 20-0 (16), Cotto is facing maybe his toughest challenge to date in Pinto, if only because Pinto is a fellow young prospect campaigning at junior welterweight. Cotto has been mildly criticized for taking safe fights against smaller men moving up in weight class (Carlos Maussa, Victoriano Sosa); however, his last fight versus Lovemore N'dou displayed Cotto's poise under fire, and though he clearly won the fight, eluded to the fact that he might not be so dominant against bigger opposition.

Still, Cotto has been fighting quality fighters and his skills are noteworthy. His bodypunching is vicious, and Ring magazine just labeled him the best left-hooker in the game, quite an honour to bestow on a guy with only twenty fights. Of the two Puerto Rican prospects, Cotto and Cintron, it is the former who seems more comfortable and focused in the ring, but unlike the latter (in his fight with Teddy Reid), Cotto's chin has never been tested. Can the little known Pinto, 20-0 (18), who decisioned talented Emanuel Augustus, expose any flaws in Cotto's game?

Prediciton: Cotto by split decision