Miguel Cotto is on fire.

The fast-rising Puerto Rican junior welterweight has been rising steadily and consistently, obliterating everything that has been put in front of him. His last fight was a 6th round destruction of one-time top-contender Randall Bailey.

Demarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, on the other hand, is in danger of taking Bailey's place as the new gatekeeper of the 140-pound division (now that James Leija is done). Corley, 29-3-1 (16), last defeated Darryl Tyson in December, but was previously stopped by Floyd Mayweather and has also lost to Zab Judah. Cotto, 22-0 (18), like Mayweather, is also undefeated, but hits a lot harder. His defence is solid and though Corley might have a slight edge in hand speed, Cotto is by far the stronger, superior boxer. Conventional wisdom says that if the cautious yet accurate-punching Mayweather took Corley into the later rounds before taking him out, then Cotto should do the job in half the time. And you know what? Conventional wisdom is right.

Look for the unrelenting Cotto to use Corley as a stepping stone to bigger and better things in the 140-pound division, but not before landing some hellacious hooks and bodyshots in winning a mid-round stoppage of the Washington, D.C. native.

Prediction: Cotto KO 6