FLINT, MI (WNEM) -
Supporters of Claressa Shields showed up early this morning at Blackstone's Irish Pub to watch her begin her quest for Olympic gold.
The fight was supposed to air on one of the NBC cable channels, but was moved to their internet site for live viewing and will be aired in prime time tonight.
One special fan had a hard time finding words.
"What's that word, how they say it, ecstatic. It's hard for me just to be calm, cause I know my baby's going to be doing her thing," said Clarence Shields, Claressa Shields' father
He watched the fight like a trainer in the corner, yelling advice to his daughter thousands of miles away - and the crowd was acting the same way.
This is the first time women's boxing has been an Olympic sport so the thought of being the first gold medal winner could be a real possibility.
"She's going to bring home the gold and we're going to celebrate down here in Flint, just like they're celebrating all over the United States for all our other Olympians," Alvon Lathan said.
"Flint's filled with great people who know how to work hard, and you can see when given the opportunity, that we can take it all the way," said Flint Mayor Dayne Walling. "We can compete with the best at the global level. Claressa's proving that again this year in 2012. "
Her father said no matter what the outcome, he is one proud papa.
"I want her to bring home the gold more than anything, but it don't matter to me because that's my baby. "
Her next fight is at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Copyright WNEM 2012 (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
Claressa Shields
