For the last couple of years, the 140-pound weight class has been the consensus choice as the best in boxing. It boasts a dominant champion in Kostya Tszyu on top, and contenders from there to the bottom who are some of the most exciting in our sport.

Zab Judah, Vivian Harris, Sharmba Mitchell, Arturo Gatti and company are now joined by DeMarcus "Chop-Chop" Corley. Corley decisioned the still-dangerous Randall Bailey last Saturday night over the 12-round distance. The fight was an opportunity for Corley to distinguish himself among the division's elite.

He did not exactly set the boxing world aflame, but after dominating Bailey it is now safe to say that Corley is among the better 140-pound contenders. The problem for Corley is that there are just so many contenders.

In another division he would be perhaps one fight away from a shot at the title. At 140, however, Corley must get in line behind Jesse James Leija (who gets his crack at the champ in a couple of weeks), Arturo Gatti, who might be the division's biggest star, and Judah and Mitchell, who are both Tszyu victims, yet have legitimate reasons to think that they can beat Kostya in rematches.

Corley is a fast southpaw with good skills and more than a little natural ability. True, based on what we have seen an eventual position on pound-for-pound top 10 lists appears unlikely in his future. But consider the type of fighter most likely to eventually wrest the crown from Kostya. A solid veteran with good lateral movement. A guy with some power and handspeed. Someone who is not so impressive that he piques Kostya's interest. Who might fly under the champ's radar. Who perhaps catches him, if not unprepared, then at least uninterested.

Kostya would be totally focused for the warrior Gatti, his most popular challenger. Gatti will likely fall victim to Kostya's straighter, if not harder, punches. It is difficult to imagine Gatti going 12 rounds with Tszyu without having his bell rung. It is even more difficult to imagine Gatti boxing calmly after tasting serious leather. No, Tszyu will rock him, Gatti will go toe to toe, and Tszyu will eventually stop him.

Tszyu will be extremely motivated for Judah, and Judah's confidence might be shaken considering the result of his first fight with Tszyu. Mitchell's success against Tszyu might preclude him from ever getting a rematch. And even if Mitchell were to get a rematch, youth is not really on Sharmba's side -- he has nearly as much wear and tear as Kostya. Micky Ward always has the proverbial (body) puncher's chance, but it is not a good one.

The kind of fighter who will unseat the junior welter king will likely be a relatively young, solid, steady, but usually unspectacular contender. A Vivian Harris. Or, maybe, a DeMarcus Corley. Stranger things have happened.

***

This Friday night on Friday Night Fights we have dynamic, rising heavyweight DaVaryl Williamson against underrated and avoided Robert Wiggins. Williamson has more upside than Wiggins, but Wiggins is one of those guys whose chance for victory should never be summarily dismissed.

Wiggins is not an ethnic white guy with a hometown following like Joe Mesi. He is not huge like Nicholay Valuev, or a dynamic puncher like Sam Peter. As a result of his limitations and perhaps some bad luck, he is not with a powerful promoter. But Wiggins can fight. Better than most. I would put him right there in the mix with Mesi, Valuev or Peter. Somewhere in the top 30. I do not think the handlers of any of those fighters would be in a rush to throw their guy in with Wiggins.

Williamson should win and he is the guy to watch. But watching Wiggins fight I get the feeling that life just isn't fair. It is not so much that Wiggins is a potential world beater whose career is being mishandled. Rather, it's that Wiggins is a guy who will never have anything handed to him, a guy who is always going to have to make his own breaks.

In Wiggins' fourth pro fight he was put in with Najee Shaheed, who was 18-1-1. The fight was a draw. In his next fight, Wiggins was brought in as an opponent for Cisse Salif, a murderous puncher and Bill Cayton-handled fighter. Salif was a comer -- and Wiggins handed him his first professional loss. Wiggins' very next fight was a rematch with Shaheed, which Wiggins won by knockout. Right after that knockout, Wiggins took on fellow prospect Nick Nurse and stopped him too.

Several fights later, Wiggins was brought in as a last minute opponent for undefeated prospect Erick Kirkland. The match was televised on our Friday Night Fights. Wiggins scored a 10th-round knockout, which landed him another ESPN date, this time on Tuesday Night Fights last summer. Against the highly regarded, undefeated and heavy-hitting Derek Bryant, Wiggins held his own in a fast back-and-forth fight until his eye swelled so badly that the fight was stopped. His first pro loss in 19 fights.

This Friday could be his second loss, because Williamson is fast, hits hard and is used to winning. But then, Wiggins is not exactly used to losing. I can't wait for the bell.

Max Kellerman is a studio analyst for ESPN2's Friday Night Fights and the host of the new show Around The Horn.