By KENNETH MILLER|Publisher
THREE THE HARD WAY–5120 Entertainment CEO Eugene Parker, The GWOAT Claressa Shields and Rip Michaels, revolutionary concert promoter of owner of Rip Michaels Entertainment after Shields captured another belt to become the undisputed woman heavyweight championship at the Dort Financial Center on Feb. 2. (5120 ENTERTAINMENT/Photo)
The booming Southern California entertainment conglomerate 5120 Entertainment Company was front and center as the greatest woman boxer in history Claressa Shields improved to 16-0 and became the undisputed heavyweight champion with a unanimous 10 round victory over Danielle Perkins in front of a capacity crowd at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan on Feb. 2.
CEO Eugene Parker made the trek from the Southland to witness Shields in person for the first time and came away more impressed than he was beforehand.
“I have been following her for a very long time since the Olympics when she became the only boxer in history to win back to back gold medals, but seeing her in person gives a much more dynamic perspective of just how great she really is,” said Parker.
Parker was an invited guest of business partner and friend Rip Michaels who has known Shields for years.
The goal for the two men now is leverage a relationship with arguably the most glorified woman athlete in modern history.
Fresh off the theatre release and now streaming online “The Fire Inside Me” biopic which details Shields rise from poverty in Flint to double gold medals in the Olympics and now undisputed woman heavyweight champion has catapulted the furious fisted warrior into a stratosphere the sports world has never seen.
DOMINANT–Claressa Shields (16-0) continued to prove her prowess in the “Super Brawl” at the Dort Finanical Center in her hometown of Flint, Michigan on Feb. 2 before a capacity crowd. Shields knocked down the Danielle Perkins in the 10th and final round putting an explication mark on her unanimous victory. Perkins (5-1) tasted defat for the first time. (KENNETH MILLER/PHOTO)
There are elements to Shields super stardom that are beyond unique. First and foremost is her intellectual acumen, serving as her own promoter, who has the ability to attract as many Black women as men to her fights. The Dort scene was a throwback to the era of Mike Tyson in Las Vegas.
“We see a bigger picture for her in films, and would like to support her in any way that we can. Who wouldn’t want to be in business with The GWOAT?” adding Parker.
Michaels who goes way back with Shields and was instrumental in convincing Shields to star in the Detroit Wild ‘N Out Live Tour at Little Caesars Arena on Dec. 22 is considered the greatest live event promoter today. He’s the only promoter who as boast two sold out arenas on the same day.
“Clarissa is my friend beyond anything else and I want the best for her and always have, so of course I would bring my business partner Eugene to see and meet her to experience what I have always known, and now he’s just as excited as I am to make sure the world knows who Claressa Shields is,” concluded Michaels.
