Junior middleweight Nisa Rodriguez might be a rookie in the professional ranks, but her story runs deep. With a boxing career so extensive she can hardly remember its start, the Bronx-born, first-generation Puerto Rican Rodriguez has made the ring her second home.
Now 33, Rodriguez is chasing world titles with the same relentless energy she brings to her day job as a New York Police Department officer.
Her next challenge comes December 17, when she faces former New Yorker Melody Popravak at Sony Hall in New York City.
Rodriguez enters the bout with a 2-0 record, while Popravak, 39, now based in Snellville, Georgia, carries a record of 2-1-1 (1 KO). The two share a history, having sparred years ago.
“The good thing about my team is they handle all the research for me,” Rodriguez said. “This is one of the first opponents I actually know before I fight because she came out of New York, too. I even sparred her back in the day before I left for Puerto Rico.”
Rodriguez’s life is a balancing act. Her NYPD career demands long hours — sometimes over the course of seven days a week — while her boxing regimen requires unwavering focus and physical endurance. Somehow, she makes it work, crediting her family’s support.
“I have a very supportive husband, and we have three kids — 15, 12, and nine — all athletes,” Rodriguez said. “It doesn’t make things easier, but it helps that we train together. Without him and my mom, balancing everything would be impossible. There are days I’m working 60-hour weeks, so I wake up early to get my workout in, and I’m usually on the go with meals.”
Rodriguez’s roots run deep in the New York Cops and Kids program, founded by retired NYPD Sergeant Pat Russo. The program, which has developed talents like Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, has inspired Rodriguez to give back. She’ll play a key role in the opening of a second gym in the Bronx — the same borough where she began boxing at 13.
For Rodriguez, boxing isn’t about the money; it’s about passion and purpose.
“Honestly, I’m not in this for money,” she said. “Boxing, especially for women, doesn’t pay much unless you’re part of something big like what Jake Paul and Amanda Serrano are doing. I live humbly, and I have my career with the NYPD to support me. This is about chasing titles and getting it out of my system.”
Rodriguez plans to fight at 155lbs for her upcoming bout and future matches, with aspirations of a title shot in 2025.
“We did 161 and 165 in my first two fights because the other girls couldn’t make weight, but I’ve always performed better when I’m lighter,” she said. “The goal is to be ready for a title by next year. I’ve invested so much time in boxing and the NYPD, but for the next two to five years, I’m all-in on boxing before I fully dedicate myself to my law enforcement career.”
Rodriguez is determined to end her boxing journey on her terms, chasing as many belts as she can before focusing entirely on her NYPD career.
“I love my job, and I love boxing,” she said. “This is my passion, and it’s something I have to see through. I’m ready for whoever comes my way, and I want as many titles as I can get before I step away.”
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