Perhaps one of the best known of William Hazlitt’s essays is that called The Fight, though it is the coach drive towards Hungerford and some very intimate and exact discussions upon training which really interested the writer. The fight in question was that between Bill Neate and Tom Hickman, known as “The Gasman,” or, simply, “Gas.”

Hitherto Hickman’s chief title to consideration had been the remarkably short work he had made of at least three sturdy opponents. He had thrashed Peter Crawley in fourteen and a half minutes, Gipsy Cooper twice, once in a quarter of an hour and once in three minutes, and he had taken twelve and a half minutes to defeat Tom Oliver. Neate had a good record too, but he had taken an hour and a half to beat Oliver, so that “Gas” was by way of being the favourite. As a matter of fact history shows that because A beats C with less difficulty than B, it by no means follows that A is invincible by B. It is interesting to know that Neate’s backer on this occasion was that same Mr. Weare who was shortly afterwards murdered by Thurtell.

The fight took place at Newbury, in Berkshire, on December 11th, 1821. Neate’s seconds were Tom Belcher and Harry Harmer, Hickman’s were Tom Spring and Tom Shelton.

Neate fought with a well-extended guard which Hickman found very difficult to pass. He pivoted about, always presenting a good defence. But after a long time sparring, “Gas” charged in, got through his man’s guard, and hit him in the face, jumping away out of danger again. He repeated this again and again, whilst Neate’s replies were poor. Again Hickman charged. This, he thought to himself, was going to be a soft job like the others: 65 but Neate had got used to him by this time and met him with a beautiful straight left in the throat which made Hickman gasp. Again “Gas” tried to rush, and Neate slipped and fell.

JAMES BELCHER, of Bristol (Champion of England), 1798-1809.

The second round found the Gasman still grinning with confidence. He tried to get over Neate’s guard with hard chopping blows, but these only fell on the shoulder and did no harm at all. Then there was a hard rally, and Neate sent home another straight left which made his opponent reel: but Hickman was a plucky fellow, and though he found Neate a disappointing antagonist, he would still try to win the encounter off-hand. Neate tried another left which failed, and shortly afterwards slipped down to avoid “Gas’s” in-fighting, which was not to his taste. Hickman’s grin was still confident, but he got the worst of the third round. After a sharp exchange Neate knocked him down, and himself fell from the force of his own blow and the clumsy way in which he stood.

The decisive blow of the fight was struck in the fourth round. Hickman aimed a tremendous right-hander at Neate, which he avoided, himself replying with the left. Describing this and the previous round, Hazlitt wrote:—

    “I saw (Neate’s) teeth clenched together and his brows knit close against the sun. He held out both his arms at full length straight before him, like two sledge-hammers, and raised his left an inch or two higher. The Gasman could not get over this guard—they struck mutually and fell, but without advantage on either side.... The Gasman aimed a mortal blow at his adversary’s neck with his right hand, and failing from the length he had to reach, the other ............