Since splitting a pair of fights with Joel Cassamayor at junior lightweight, Diego "Chico" Corrales moved up to 135 and secured a career-defining win over Acelino Freitas. At the time Freitas was unbeaten with a record (albeit a carefully crafted one) of 35-0 (31). Corrales let the fight slip away in the ring and on the scorecards until he dropped Freitas three times and caused him to quit in the 10th round.

This Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Corrales will try to become the undisputed champion at lightweight when he takes on one of the most underrated pound-for-pounders in the game - Jose Luis Castillo. This is an important fight for both titlists and it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that blood, guts and glory are on the line.

Castillo, 51-6 (45), and Corrales, 39-2 (32), have two common opponents who are noteworthy; Floyd Mayweather and Cassamayor. In January of 2001, a dehydrated Corrales was destroyed by Mayweather and stopped in the 10th round. In May 2002 Mayweather won a controversial decision over Castillo, leading to their December rematch which "Pretty Boy" Floyd won more convincingly.

Just as Corrales-Cassamayor II was a very close fight that went to Corrales by split decision, Castillo's recent controversial decision over Cassamayor proved one thing - the Cuban former Olympic gold medallist is one tough opponent. But Castillo fought like a warrior and did enough in the later rounds to eke out a victory. Even after avenging his TKO loss to Cassamayor with a victory in the rematch, I'm not sure Corrales ever proved himself superior to Cassamayor in any definitive terms.

Although Castillo appears to have done slightly better versus Mayweather and Cassamayor, this is a difficult bout for both fighters. Castillo is a Mexican warrior, the consummate boxer-puncher who beat up tough Juan Lazcano for 12 rounds last year and also defeated Julio Diaz. Years ago he was stopped twice both in the 10th round, both times by Javier Juaregui, but has a better chin than Corrales.

Corrales, of Mexican and Columbian descent, is all heart and has crippling power - as his stoppage of Freitas can attest to. Even Cassamayor lost to Freitas (yet again, it was controversial) but Corrales came from behind, executed his strategy and dribbled the Brazilian "Popo" off the canvas.

At just under six feet tall, Corrales has a significant height advantage and will use his reach against the stockier Castillo. Corrales will have to box behind his jab and use movement to try to set up the big punches. Castillo will have to fight Corrales the way he fought Lazcano - attacking his body and mauling him like a pitbull. But even Lazcano buckled Castillo at a later stage of the fight, so in this one anything can happen.

Corrales-Castillo has fight of the year potential. The outcome is also a toss-up, and that's what makes it such an intriguing matchup. I lean towards Castillo by decision, but he can bust Corrales up pretty good, too. And "Chico" can change the course of the fight with just one punch.

Pray for war.

Prediction: Castillo by decision