Now Imagine yourself on October 26, 1970, when Muhammad Ali made his monumental return to the boxing ring after being forced into a three-and-a-half-year break. Why? Because of his defiance of the Vietnam War draft on religious grounds. You’d remember how Ali’s refusal to be inducted into the U.S. military led to his conviction for draft evasion, a conviction later overturned by the Supreme Court. During those years, Ali was stripped of his titles, and the world had mixed reactions to his stance. But when he finally returned to face heavyweight boxer Jerry Quarry in Atlanta, it wasn’t just a fight—it was an international spectacle.

The sold-out fight drew an audience like you wouldn’t believe: civil rights leaders, celebrities, politicians, and even mob figures. Ali dominated the match and won by technical knockout after just three rounds. As you can imagine, Atlanta burst into celebration. That night wasn’t just about a fight; it became a defining moment for the city and a cultural milestone that helped solidify Atlanta as the “Black Mecca” of the American South.

In Peacock’s new limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, now streaming its first three episodes, you dive deep into a wild after-party that followed Ali’s victory. You’ll find yourself pulled into the story of how Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams, a local hustler, went from organizing this lavish party to becoming a prime suspect in one of the most infamous heists in Atlanta’s history. All under the influence of the notorious kingpin Frank Moten and his New Jersey associate, Richard “Cadillac” Wheeler.

How the heist went down

You’re at this party, celebrating the triumph. Around 200 people are partying in a private residence in Atlanta when, suddenly, the night takes a terrifying turn. Armed gunmen with sawed-off shotguns burst in, force everyone into the basement, and start robbing the guests of their cash, jewelry, and valuables.

If you were there, you would have witnessed chaos. People were piled on top of each other in the cramped space as the robbers swept the room, filling pillowcases with loot. Imagine how long the terror stretched on as the basement kept filling with more and more people—eventually, by 3 a.m., the guests were practically stacked on top of each other, half-naked and helpless.

Enter the investigation

You’d be shocked to learn that despite the mass robbery, only five victims filed official complaints. Still, it was clear that the thieves made off with at least $1 million in valuables. When the case was handed to J.D. Hudson, one of Atlanta’s first Black detectives, he quickly discovered that many of the victims were hesitant to cooperate with the police. You’d understand why—the party guests included a mix of powerful figures who didn’t want to get involved with the authorities.

Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams, the man who organized the party, quickly became a prime suspect. Imagine the danger he was in—not only did the police suspect him of orchestrating the heist to pay off a debt, but the crime bosses were now after him, seeking revenge for what they believed was his betrayal.

On November 18, 1970, three men were indicted for the armed robbery: McKinley Rogers Jr., James Henry Hall, and Houston J. Hammond. While Hammond was captured by the police, Rogers and Hall met a gruesome fate—both were gunned down in the Bronx in 1971 in what was believed to be a revenge killing. As Hudson pointed out at the time, “It appears the victims got there first.”

What really happened to Chicken Man?

You might’ve thought Chicken Man was killed after the heist as many believed, but in reality, he survived. Thirty years later, in 2002, Hudson revealed that Gordon Williams was still alive and living as a pastor in Atlanta. He’d turned his life around and became Reverend Gordon Williams at Salem Baptist Church. In fact, when Hudson met Williams again at his church, he explained why he had never believed Chicken Man was behind the heist in the first place.

Hudson knew Williams was too smart for that. He was a man who had managed a million-dollar operation from a pay phone on a street corner—why would he risk it all just to pay off some debt? Hudson concluded that a group of younger thugs had likely improvised the robbery once they saw how big the party was, leaving Chicken Man innocent of the crime.