It's boxing's deepest division, with a cast of players supporting an undisputed champion, and it's going to stay good for a while to come. With great young talent and a wealth of good matchups, the 140-pound division proves that sometimes quantity and quality can co-exist. Call 'em junior welters, or super lightweights, but rest assured that either way they guarantee can't-miss action. Here's the scoop on the boys who hang on boxing's baddest block.

1. Kostya Tszyu

The Facts: The undisputed champ, with 11 defenses against solid competition over two reigns. 'Nuff said.

The Upside: Has shown renewed patience of late, not making wars out of fights the way he used to. Sole loss to Vince Phillips may have helped him improve his defense, or at least rediscover it ‹ as an amateur he was virtually unhittable, and even beat Vernon Forrest. In trench warfare, is virtually unbeatable. Go figure.

The Downside: Has trouble with movers (who doesn't?) and seems a little to contemplative at times when confused. At 33 he isn't exactly looking old, but for a lighter-weight fighter that's pretty far along. Is huge for weight class, often entering the ring at 155 pounds or more, which could be a problem in a long, tough fight.

Reminds you of: Simon Brown, ruler of the welters in the late '80s. Like Brown, Tszyu is overwhelming if you trade with him. Weight problems and the slick Buddy McGirt ended Brown's reign, and it figures that it'll require like circumstances for anyone to unseat Tszyu right now.

2. Arturo Gatti

The Facts: Born-again hard under ace trainer McGirt, and has proven he can box and stick to it. Career is on the rebound after two great showings against Mickey Ward, proving that for Gatti, even when he loses, he still wins.

The Upside: We always knew he could slug and take a punch, but this new boxing thing borders on the unthinkable. How good could he have been if he'd done this earlier in his career? Chin and heart are still among the division's best, and the perceived slugger image will tempt anyone to take a crack at him. Gatti will always get good fights because he brings money and a sense of vulnerability to each dance.

The Downside: Looked technically perfect against Ward, but a fast-handed Zab Judah or similar speedster type might not be so easily out pointed.

Reminds you of: Battling Nelson. "The Durable Dane" was the Gatti of his era, often going 40 rounds or more to win brutal bouts. Another pastime of Nelson's was engaging in head-butting contests. We haven't seen Gatti try it, but we'd take him in a fight to the finish against just about anybody, and in the head-butting match, as well. A noggin made of rock makes Gatti the perfect modern equivalent.

3. Zab Judah

The Facts: Not one for a soft touch after losing to Tszyu, Judah's tough win over Omar Weis was a good building block for another shot. Should be matched carefully to maximize his exposure, as his credentials are as good as anyone's in the division for a crack at the title.

The Upside: Still as physically gifted as anyone in the division, with speed and power in a unique combination. His deftness of foot allow him to slip in and out, landing shots and frustrating opponents before putting them to sleep.

The Downside: Chin is still easily found by right hands, and doesn't seem to deal with being hit too well. Might be a front-runner, as his scary moments against the offensively modest Weis could've proven far worse if he'd been in with a puncher.

Reminds you of: Roger Mayweather. At his best, "The Black Mamba" was offensively brilliant and seemed headed for greatness. At his worst, Mayweather's chin betrayed what could've been a Hall of Fame career. At this point, Judah could go either way, but he'll furnish a lot of thrills in doing so.

4. Sharmba Mitchell

The Facts: A serious player, made noise with masterful decision win over Vince Phillips last month. An pure boxer with stellar reflexes, and fights smart.

The Upside: His gutty challenge of Tszyu showed he can take a shot and ask questions of the champion that few can. His knee, which gave out against Tszyu en route to a stoppage by injury, seemed pretty good against Phillips. Mitchell claims it's still only 80% healed, but it that's the case, then everyone should get a knee injury. 50-3 (28 KO), which gives him a ton of experience to fall back on.

The Downside: Not a big puncher, and can lapse into a jab-and-grab routine that isn't big with judges. Knee has looked good so far, but a down-and-dirty opponent could possibly aim for it in one of those 'whoops' clinches and injure it. Where's Antwun Echols when you need him?

Reminds you of: Hector Camacho, Sr., at 140 pounds. Macho was still a pretty good boxer at that stage of his career, and Mitchell's speed, movement, and southpaw wares cut a similar figure.

5. DeMarcus Corley

The Facts: WBO Champion is a sleeper in the division. How long he remains as such depends on whether or not the other names decide to fight him or look elsewhere.

The Upside: Good boxing skills, and some pop in his punches. Enthusiasm and attitude, combined with confidence.

The Downside: Has fought weak competition. And that's putting it nicely.

Reminds you of: Terrence Alli. A good boxer, fast, yet always gave you an action fight.

6. Vivian Harris

The Facts: Proved his showings against Golden Johnson and tough journeyman Ubaldo Hernandez were no flukes in blowing out Diobelys Hurtado in October for WBA "super contender so we can extort more sanctioning fees" crown. Whatever it is, Harris is guaranteed a shot at Tszyu next year, and he should make a tough go of it.

The Upside: Good boxer, has improved since sole loss to Ray Olivera in 2000. Showed power against Hurtado, which makes for a good complement to his athleticism.

The Downside: May have caught Hurtado as a fighter ready to be taken, as Hurtado was killing himself to make the weight. Draw with Ivan Robinson may be sign of a fighter not quite up to tackling the top dogs and winning.

Reminds you of: Phillip Holiday, another busy, aggressive action fighter. Holiday was eventually beaten by Shane Mosley. Time will tell if Harris plays Vince Phillips to Tszyu, or succumbs under the heavy guns of the champion and is added to his list of victims.

7. Mickey Ward

The Facts: Still tough after all these years, and hopefully he'll give us another thrill or two, but is most likely to retire if another big fight doesn't keep him in the game.

The Upside: Experience and numbing body attack, combined with great resilience, make him a slippery steppingstone that most managers would rather avoid.

The Downside: Slow starter and can be out boxed. Mileage and age may have shown against Gatti. Cuts are always a problem as well, and tends to wait too long for the perfect shot, as his chin allows him to brush off punches that score points and let the other guy build a lead.

Reminds you of: Bobby Chacon, another hellacious fighter who won big fights as often as he lost, but he gave so much of himself that the fans loved him just the same.

8. Jesse James Leija

The Facts: Gets shot at Tszyu in January, and it's probably his last chance, which means he'll make the most of it.

The Upside: Crafty boxer who resurrected a career thought to be on the downside after beating Ivan Robinson and losing a hotly disputed decision to Juan Lazcano. Showed he's still a tough cuss in bout with Mickey Ward before contest was stopped due to a Leija cut.

The Downside: Against most guys, his lack of power and size won't pose too much of a problem, but against Tszyu they likely will. It's hard to see how he's going to attack the bigger, stronger champion, but Leija's toughness and hustle could catch Tszyu on a flat night and give him a run for his money. If he can't keep Tszyu honest, he's in for a tough night, sort of a Ayala-Morales redux, with the smaller man catching a lot of incoming fire.

Reminds you of: Saoul Mamby, another guy who kept getting older and kept beating good fighters, particularly prospects looking to use him as a steppingstone. Tricky and clever, Leija's ring wisdom carries him through rough spots that come with age and fighting young bucks, just like Mamby's did.

9. Omar Weis

The Facts: A blue-collar guy to the hilt, Weis' defeat of Hector Camacho, jr., and his good showing against Zab Judah put him in good stead. Too good to be a steppingstone, but maybe a little limited to be a threat to Tszyu, he remains in that murky middle ground. He needs a win to move up on the list, and would probably get it given the right circumstances and a break going his way on the cards.

The Upside: Loss to Judah might make him attractive to a young prospect or another contender, but only a dumb guy would sleep on fighting him.

The Downside: Tends to let the other guy lead, even when he's losing. Not a fast starter, either, which hurt him against Judah. Built to go 15 rounds in an era where you rarely go more than 10 unless it's for a title.

Reminds you of: Greg Haugen. Not a big banger, not particularly fast, not really anything, except a real pain in the butt throughout. Like Haugen, Weis is the perennial 140-pound. spoiler, the thinking man's counter puncher, and the guy that's on your tail all night. He wins just enough rounds to make every fight a tough one, even when he's seemingly outmatched on paper.

10. Ricky Hatton

The Facts: As exciting as anyone in the division, and that's no small accomplishment. Hatton's attack is simple ‹ high octane, high output, and a dedication to body punching that makes you teary-eyed in appreciation. Hatton's still banging out second-tier competition in Europe, but he should make some noise in 2003 as his time for the big boys has come. May not have as much power as some of his fights indicate, but is aggressive and has excellent endurance.

The Upside: A ton of punches, full-scale aggression, and quickness. Athletic ability and good fundamentals as an infighter serve him well, and should propel him higher on the list. Charisma, too, and you can't teach that.

The Downside: Cuts too easily, a product of the same kind of overlapping, prominent brows that cursed Henry Cooper. Hard to guess how he'll deal with a capable mover who can blunt his opening attack and force him go to Plan B. Still needs to fight live bodies that aren't on the European circuit, building impressive records that look good but have little substance.

Reminds you of: Ray Mancini. He could be every bit the T.V. favorite and stateside attraction "Boom Boom" was, and he fights with the same kind of intensity that fans love.

And just lurking outside the Top Ten:

Vince Phillips

The Facts: Looked good in loss to Phillips. It wasn't that Vince looked old, it was that Phillips simply was too slick.

The Upside: A big puncher with a solid chin and a ton of experience. Beware of mean old men with a horseshoe in their glove, because Phillips is one of them.

The Downside: Spotty performances in recent years make it anyone's guess as to what he'll bring on a given night. May be avoided by some because of his powerful fists, and it's hard to see him toiling on the club fight circuit and staying motivated. Has been through a lot in his career and his life, and the odometer doesn't go backwards.

Reminds you of: Edwin Rosario. "El Chapo" seemed a superstar in the making after his huge upset win over Livingstone Bramble. Despite being a 3-1 dog, Rosario came out unfazed took the touted Bramble with a barrage of right hands. After that career-defining win, Rosario's career was temporarily derailed by a wrecking machine named Julio Cesar Chavez. Rosario rebounded to win the WBA belt for a third time, but was beaten by unheralded Juan Nazario. He later won and lost the WBA 140-pound belt. He was always around and just when you thought he was done... just like Phillips.

Oktay Urkal

The Facts: Fought three times in Europe since his solid showing against Tszyu. Needs to get more exposure to get his name back in the mix.

The Upside: Great chin, good counter puncher, and stamina. Took huge shots against Tszyu and battled back.

The Downside: Not a big punch, and might be a tad slow for the better boxers.

Reminds you of: Zeljko Mavrovic, another European scrapper, who came out of nowhere to give Lennox Lewis a surprisingly tough scrap. Like Mavrovic, who suffered a career-ending illness, Urkal has virtually disappeared since his gutty showing against Tszyu, fighting three times in Europe with not a whiff of notice stateside. Weirdly, both the Lewis-Mavrovic bouts and Tszyu-Urkal were fought in the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

Ben Tackie

The Facts: Disappointing performance against Tszyu this year. Needs another big win, like his victories over Roberto Garcia and Freddy Pendleton, to mount a serious campaign for a big fight. Won't get a shot at Tszyu unless he scores a huge upset over a top five guy, given his loss to Tszyu.

The Upside: Granite chin, mean streak, and tenacious. Knack for catching people with sudden bomb.

The Downside: A little predictable in his attack. Think Ike Quartey, without a jab...

Reminds you of: Primo Ramos, tough 140-pound contender in the late '80s-early 90s. He stalks, stalks, stalks... and either gets you with a bomb or loses a decision.

The Future

The division is also blessed with prospects Miguel Cotto, Ricardo Williams, and Oscar Diaz. It's hard to tell how they'll pan out, but Cotto looks the best, while Williams is a good boxer. Diaz is an action fighter lacking a punch, and it will be harder for him than the other two to adjust to tougher competition, though he's only 20 and has Lou Duva to refine his game. With a solid future, the division's status as boxing's best should stay unchallenged for a while.