Randall is said to have been a natural fighter in the most literal sense, never having taken a single lesson, but buying his experience solely in the ring.
The Nonpareil, as he was called, had two more fights before finally retiring from the Prize-Ring. Both of these were with the baker, Jack Martin: whom he first defeated in nineteen rounds and fifty minutes, and then in one round of eight and a half minutes. Martin’s very long reach proved a difficulty to Randall in the first fight, for though his rushing and slogging were very powerful and not devoid of skill, his footwork was clumsy and he had no idea of side-stepping or ducking away from the baker’s long arms. But in each of these fights he proved that Martin’s body was weak, and he forced himself in to close fighting and hammered his man about the ribs and stomach until the rigid guard he kept up to protect his head was weakened or lowered. Martin was very plucky, but besides the natural advantage of reach, he was nearly a stone the heavier of the two; so that the highest credit is due to the Irishman for his signal defeat of him.
For some years Randall kept The Hole in the Wall, in Chancery Lane, but like many another fighter, he died whilst still a young man, in 1828.
CHAPTER XI
BILL NEATE AND TOM HICKMAN
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: 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.
