By Jim Dower: Dan Rafael is reporting that a mega fight between World Boxing Council welterweight champion Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KO’s) and WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (35-2, 28 KO’s) is in the talking phase for a potential huge fight coming up in the near future.

Berto, 26, doesn’t have an opponent picked out for his next fight and neither does Cotto. It’s unknown what weight Berto and Cotto would fight at if they do end up mixing it up. It could take place at a catch weight or it could happen at either welterweight or junior middleweight.

Either way, Berto-Cotto would be a monster fight and it would be the first huge fight for Berto for his career. He’s been hoping to lure one of the mega stars Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao into a fight, but thus far there hasn’t been any interest in fighting the younger Berto. If Cotto is allowed to fight Berto it would be frankly surprising.

Bob Arum has been keeping many of his fights in house recently and this would be a rare one where he’s permitted one of his top fighters to fight another top level guy. For that reason, I’m kind of skeptical that the Cotto-Berto will end up being made. Although it would be a great fight and would really help the careers for both Cotto and Berto, I think it will end up not being made.

Berto is coming off an impressive 8th round stoppage win over former welterweight champion Carlos Quintana in April, whereas Cotto recently stopped WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman by a 9th round stoppage in June to capture the World Boxing Association junior middleweight title at Yankee stadium.

Cotto had been hoping to get a big money rematch with Manny Pacquiao. However, earlier today, Cotto got the bad news that Arum will be matching Pacquiao up against Antonio Margarito rather than Cotto. This leaves Cotto waiting for his chance at the winner of the Margarito vs. Pacquiao bout.

If Floyd Mayweather doesn’t step up to the plate and fight Pacquiao in early 2011, then Cotto will likely get his chance at fighting Pacquiao, provided that Pacquiao gets by Margarito. And whether Margarito wins or loses the fight to Pacquiao, he’ll be fighting a rematch with Cotto in 2011. Margarito previously stopped Cotto in the 11th round two years ago in July 2008.