“Fight Night” is based on the true story of Muhammad Ali and a million dollar robbery

The spectacular premise of Peacock's “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” seems pure fiction: Armed robbers force the country's most notorious gangsters to hand over a million dollars in cash and jewels at a secret after-party following Muhammad Ali's triumphant return to boxing.

Even Atlanta-based executive producer Will Packer was speechless when he learned of the brazen break-in that actually took place after Ali's fight in Atlanta on October 26, 1970.

“I was like, 'Yo, how did I never hear about this robbery?' It's crazy,” says Packer, who was also an executive producer of the 2020 iHeart podcast “Fight Night,” on which the dramatic television series is based. “A couple of gangsters get robbed after a fight with Muhammad Ali and it turns the city of Atlanta upside down. Yet, to this day, it remains the largest robbery in Georgia history.”