George Nicholls finds a niche here, principally from the circumstance of his early victory over the renowned Tom Cribb; his other fistic exploits, though numerous, not being of celebrity sufficient to entitle him to this distinction. Nicholls was one of the numerous offshoots of the Bristol school, and was born in that city in the year 1795. In the third volume of “Boxiana” Pierce Egan has given an account of twenty-five pugilistic engagements, but, like the exploits of heroes before Agamemnon, they find no record, save in his pages. The most remarkable of those are thus narrated.
At seventeen years of age George entered the ring with a man of the name of Hocky Harding. It was only for a guinea a-side, and it took place on Durdham Downs. Nicholls had for his seconds Applebee and George Davis. In forty minutes Harding was defeated, and the punishment he received was terrific. This latter boxer had gained considerable notoriety in having made a drawn battle, after a desperate fight with the celebrated Bill Warr.
GEORGE NICHOLLS.
From a Drawing by G. Sharples.
A week after the above battle, the brother of Harding, anxious to have a turn with Nicholls, fought him on Durdham Downs for a guinea and a half a-side, but, in the second round, Harding, receiving an ugly knock, exclaimed, “I’ve had enough; George shall not serve me as he did my brother.” Applebee and Davis were also seconds to Nicholls on this occasion.
A sailor, who weighed thirteen stone, challenged Nicholls for a guinea a-side. This battle took place in the Back Fields, near Lawford’s Gate. The man of war was a troublesome customer, and did not give in till one hour had expired.
Bill Thomas, a butcher, of Chepstow, had so good an opinion of his milling qualities, that he sent a public challenge to Bristol to fight the best man in that city. Nicholls accepted the challenge without delay, and he also won it off-hand.
Leonard, the champion of Bath, was matched against Nicholls for five guineas a-side. Bob Watson and Tom Davis acted as seconds to our hero. This battle took place on Lansdown, the same day that Spaniard Harris and Bill Cox fought. The Bath champion was dreadfully beaten, and both his peepers were soon closed; while Nicholls received but a slight injury.
It is stated by Pierce Egan that Nicholls was victor in forty-nine battles out of fifty.
We will now quit these dateless records of Nicholls’s triumphs over the “illustrious obscure,” to come to his crowning achievement, the exploit which has preserved his name. It has been repeatedly urged that this overthrow occurred during the brave Tom’s noviciate; but he had previously beaten that renowned pugilistic veteran, George Maddox, Tom Blake, and Ikey Pig, all of them men of notoriety as pugilists. The success of these contests had rendered Cribb somewhat conspicuous, and he was rising fast into eminence and fame, when he entered the lists with Nicholls, for a subscription purse of £25, at Blackwater, thirty-two miles from London, on Saturday, July 20, 1805, made up by the amateurs, to compensate them for being deprived of witnessing the intended fight between the Game Chicken and Gully. Tom Jones waited upon Nicholls, and Dick Hall was second to Cribb. The odds on setting-to were greatly on the side of Cribb, who was the favourite; but Nicholls, aware of Cribb’s method of fighting, fought him after the style of Big Ben in his contest with Tom Johnson. Nicholls, like a skilful general, armed at all points, was not to be deluded by the feints of the enemy. The system of milling on the retreat, which Cribb had hitherto practised with so much success, in this instance failed. The coolness and good temper of Nicholls appeared so eminently throughout the fight, that not only did he preserve his fortitude, but added vigour to his judgment. Hence, both in attack and defence, the future champion found in Nicholls a steady and decisive fighter. Cribb became perplexed at finding his tactics foiled. The advantage he had derived in former contests by drawing his opponents, and then punishing and irritating them in their pursuit, so as to make them throw their blows out of distance, and consequently render them feeble, ineffective, and uncertain, was rendered entirely unavailing. George would not suffer Cribb to play round him, but, with a guard like Ben’s, firm in the extreme, his attitude was impregnable. Nicholls could never be induced to quit his position without putting in a tremendous hit, waiting with the utmost skill for the attack of his opponent, and then giving the counter with stinging severity. George scarcely ever failed in breaking through the defence of his adversary, and ultimately concluded the round with a knock-down blow. Nicholls was a tremendous hitter; and his one, two, rendered him truly formidable. The science and ability displayed by Nicholls in this contest completely astonished the sporting world, many of whom, in obtaining such knowledge, found that they had procured it at no trifling expense.