By Ryan Songalia

You may never have heard of him, but give him a little time. Marcus Oliveria, 4-0 (4 KO) is quickly gaining a reputation as one of Kansas' growing fight attractions. Now residing in Topeka, Oliveria is looking to maintain his undefeated record against fellow undefeated prospect Mickey Scarborough, 2-0. The half Puerto Rican, half Native American light heavyweight prospect will be making his fifth appearance as a professional on Nov 1, 2006 at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City, Missouri. I spoke with the reserved 27 year old fighter about his perspective on his boxing career.

BoxingScene.com: How did you first get interested in boxing?

Marcus Oliveria: "I can't really recall because I've been boxing since I was seven. I'm not really sure, I remember weighing in at 70 pounds."

BoxingScene.com: Describe your amateur career, what was it like?

Oliveria: "It was a good amateur career. I had more than 200 amateur fights."

BoxingScene.com: For those who haven't seen you fight before, describe to them your fighting style.

Oliveria: "I like to walk my opponents down. I'm really good at moving and slipping punches. I try to wear them down and have them throw a lot of punches. I have a lot of power and I'm also quick, so when I put that together I'm able to stop a lot of my opponents."

BoxingScene.com: Who is training you now? Who is your team and how have they helped your progress as a fighter?

Oliveria: "My coach now is Erik Riley. I actually quit boxing when I was 17 because I'd been boxing for so long that I got sick of it. I went to collefe in Lawrence, Kansas, he was having a toughman [contest] in his garage for money so I decided to get into that to win some money; he said I did really good. Actually, I stopped everybody in there to get the money. He started training me and brought the spark back for me to start boxing again."

BoxingScene.com: When you're not training or fighting, what do you like to do with your leisure time? What are some of your hobbies?

Oliveria: I played basketball for the University of Haskell and just going to school there.

BoxingScene.com: When did you graduate college?

Oliveria: Last year

BoxingScene.com: What major did you get your degree in?

Oliveria: American Indian Studies

BoxingScene.com: Your next fight is scheduled for November 1 against a fellow undefeated fighter. Do you know anything about your opponent?

Oliveria: I know nothing about him. He's undefeated also, so I'm not really sure.

BoxingScene.com: Teddy Atlas is famous for saying that undefeated fighters don't know how to lose, that they are tough to knock out because they don't have losing ingrained in them. You've stopped all of your opponents early so far, but if this guy is able to take your best shot, do you think that will be a problem for you?

Oliveria: "Nah, I won't be discouraged at all. I usually know that they can't take too many, I don't think any boxer can. If I hit them with one punch, I just think of that as one of many I'm going to give you. I try not to depend on my power too much."

BoxingScene.com: Who are some of your sparring partners who are helping you to prepare for this fight?

Oliveria: "Damon Reed, Rob Calloway, a lot of guys I've been sparring with have been heavyweights. When I was amateur, I was fighting as a heavyweight. I was the lightest heavyweight around. I was weighing in 179, 180 fighting as a heavyweight. And I was ranked number 10."

BoxingScene.com: Who are your favorite fighters to watch?

Oliveria: "James Toney because of his defense, and Manny Pacquiao."

BoxingScene.com: What is your favorite thing about boxing?

Oliveria: "The adrenaline, when you're in the ring and it's like playing chess. You're trying to figure out the opponent and they're trying to figure you out. Plus it's competitive."

BoxingScene.com: What's your least favorite aspect of the sport?

Oliveria: "Training."

BoxingScene.com: If you weren't boxing, what would you be doing?

Oliveria: "Probably be back in school trying to finish up my Bachelor's."

BoxingScene.com: I hear that you are considering moving to Phoenix, Arizona?

Oliveria: "Yeah, because I can get better fights out there."

BoxingScene.com: You're a popular attraction in your native Kansas. What kind of connection do you have with your fans?

Oliveria: "Yeah, I'm real excited when they come to my fights. I try to make it entertaining for them but I really don't think about it too much, that way it doesn't throw me off. But alot of times I do it for them, and I do it for my boxing coaches and the little guys."

BoxingScene.com: When you first turned pro after all of those amateur fights, there's no head gear, the big gloves are gone. How is the transition from amateur to pro going, are you still having a hard time adjusting?

Oliveria: No, I was kind of fighting like a professional in the amateurs, where I was walking down, blocking punches and not throwing punches in bunches. There was a lot of people telling me that I'm fighting too much like a pro in the amateur fights. Making the transition to pros, I feel great. The sparring partners I've been having are heavyweights. I don't feel that a light heavyweight fighter can hurt me that much. I'm not trying to let it go to my head, but I'm really confident in myself."

BoxingScene.com: What is your family life like? When you go home, who's there?

Oliveria: "I kind of grew up by myself since I was 16. There's family members all over the place."

BoxingScene.com: Allan Green recently told me that he doesn't get a lot of credit because people don't think Midwestern fighters can fight. In your opinion, is there any merit to the stigma associated with being from the Midwest as a boxer?

Oliveria: "I'd probably have to say the same reason that he said because there aren't a lot of fighters that come out of here. There's a lot of fighters that don't think I'm any good because I come out of Kansas. They're in for a shock when they see my figure when I get in the ring. I don't even look like a light heavyweight, they think I'm a cruiserweight or a heavyweight."

BoxingScene.com: This is the part of the interview I call the Thirty Second Drill. This is where you take off the gloves and put your promoter hat on. In thirty seconds, sell the fight to the public.

Oliveria: "I make it action, I don't try to bore the fans because I know that's what they're there for, it's not to see a boring fight. I know a lot of fighters say that but they don't push for it in the ring."