08/19/2026
Check out this awesome interview with Norton Ma, police officer 👮 Melanie Costa 🫡
Melanie Costa’s next fight is Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, Massachusetts. She’s scheduled to face Brittany Dukes in a four-round bout on the Boston Harbor Fight Night 2 card.
🥊 BADGE ON. GLOVES ON. EXCUSES OFF. 👮♀️
Meet Melanie “The Pitbull” Costa — police officer, professional boxer, student, daughter, and a woman who refuses to stop chasing bigger goals.
Melanie’s days can start at 6 AM, roll straight into an 8 AM–4 PM patrol shift, and finish with hours of hard training at Big Six Boxing. Then she gets up and does it all over again.
But this interview goes way beyond boxing.
Melanie opens up about how fighting has helped her become a better police officer, staying calm under pressure, the sacrifices behind a professional fight camp, and the emotional meaning of having her father back in her corner following his cancer diagnosis.
And when you ask “The Pitbull” what’s left to accomplish?
🥇 She wants championship gold — and says she still has a lot of fight left.
🔥 There’s a person behind the badge and a story behind the fighter. Read the interview and meet Melanie Costa.
1. Take us through a full day in the life of Melanie Costa during fight camp. From waking up, working a police shift, getting your training in, handling schoolwork, and still finding time for family—what does that day actually look like?
On a workday, I typically wake up at 6 a.m. to get ready for my 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. shift. I make sure I have a protein shake ready to go with me on my way to the station, or I bring it with me to roll call. I start my day with a coffee from Dunkin’, of course!
I go through my patrol shift and handle whatever comes my way throughout the day, with some laughter in between with coworkers and friends. After my shift, I head home to spend some time with my family and my dog, Tyson. Depending on how rough the day is, I may even squeeze in a quick 30-minute nap.
Then it’s time to get up and get out the door again. I get ready for the gym around 5:30 p.m., grab a snack for some extra energy, and head to Big Six Boxing in Providence. Walking into Big Six always puts a smile on my face, with my friends and coaches there to greet me. But once I walk through that door, it’s time to put in some hard training.
Usually, training is a two-hour session that may include bag work, sparring, mitts, drills, and more. I wrap up my workout around 9 or 9:30 p.m., then make my way back home to end the night and prepare to do it all over again the next day.
2. Being a police officer and being a professional fighter both require you to perform under pressure. Does boxing make you a better police officer, and has being a police officer changed the way you handle pressure inside the ring?
I believe boxing has made me a better police officer, not only by teaching me how to deal with pressure, but also by teaching me how to communicate with and understand people from all walks of life.
Boxing teaches you to stay cool, calm, and collected, even when you are under extreme pressure and may be getting punched in the face. I feel that I am able to handle different pressures on the job because of the lessons and experiences boxing has taught me.
I would say that boxing has had more of an effect on my law enforcement career than being a police officer has had on me inside the ring. While being a police officer requires me to deal with pressure and difficult situations, I personally do not believe it has significantly changed the way I approach or handle pressure when I am boxing.
3. Your dad has always been in your corner, but this fight carries a different meaning after his cancer diagnosis. When you make that walk at Encore with your father beside you, what do you think that moment is going to mean to you?
My dad has been in my corner from day one, not only in life in general, but throughout my entire boxing career. In the amateurs, we would travel to national tournaments, and it would often be just my parents and me.
I remember that we would often have to find a second cornerman to assist during my amateur boxing matches, but we walked out there for every match and succeeded more often than not.
Now, as a professional, he is able to walk out with me and my coaches and be in my corner, and that’s huge. I haven’t fought in over a year due to his cancer diagnosis, and that alone was a scary time filled with unknowns for my family.
So, to be back in the boxing ring and have him walk me out is a powerful feeling. It has created a new fire inside of me to push even harder.
4. People see the fight under the lights, but they don’t see everything that happens before it. What’s the hardest part of being a full-time police officer while going through a professional fight camp—physically, mentally, or even just finding enough hours in the day?
The hardest part of being a full-time police officer while going through a fight camp is most certainly feeling like there are not enough hours in the day. That phrase has become a common one for me lately.
Making it through a patrol shift while making sure I get enough sleep, nutritious food, and maintain my motivation can be difficult some days. There are days when I wake up sore and tired but still have to patrol and make sure I am capable of helping others in their time of need.
5. You’re 33, working full time, earning your bachelor’s degree, and still chasing professional boxing goals. What keeps you hungry at this stage of your life, and what do you still want to accomplish before you eventually hang up the gloves?
I feel as though I haven’t accomplished half of what I want to yet. I have so many goals that I still want to accomplish, and that alone is motivation for me.
I want to become a champion and hold those belts in my hands! I still have a lot of fight left.
6. You’re known as “The Pitbull.” Is Melanie Costa the police officer a different person from “The Pitbull” who walks into the ring, or are they really the same person?
“The Pitbull” was a nickname given to me many years ago when I started boxing because of the way I fought and my aggressive, forward-moving style.
Many people have actually told me that it’s like seeing two different people inside and outside of the ring. I like to think I am a kind and respectful person outside of the ring, but when I step inside that square, a switch has to turn.
BONUS QUESTION: What’s one piece of advice you can give to a new female officer starting her career in law enforcement?
I would tell them that no matter your size or age, approach everyone with confidence and respect. Keep striving toward your goals, whether it is a hobby outside of your career or a goal within your career.
Whatever it may be, make time to remain healthy and happy so that it can continue to show in your career and help you better serve others as well.
