There had long been a complaint in the Fancy circles of the dearth of “great men;” if “great” be synonymous with “big,” then this was a “great fight.” How far it deserved that epithet the reader will shortly be able to decide. The Slasher had never been credited with scientific qualifications, and “the American Giant” was remarkable solely for his prodigious bulk and weight-lifting pretensions, never having fought a prize battle before. The match, we are inclined to think, arose rather from a desire to put the pretensions of “the Yankee _critter_” to the test than from any belief that a man could be found capable of successfully competing with such “a mountain of humanity;” the more especially as Ben Caunt, the Champion of England, had signified that he and Freeman were sworn friends, and were, therefore, unlikely to come in hostile collision. Johnny Broome was consulted as to whether he could find a man willing to try his hand with the Giant, and he at once answered in the affirmative, experience having afforded him opportunities of estimating the game and muscular qualities of the Slasher, who was perfectly willing to make the experiment. It was under these circumstances the challenge was given and accepted. This was the position in which matters stood when the match was made, and in due course the men went into training, each taking every pains to improve his stamina and physical qualities. We may here remark that, in the opinion of competent judges, the mere fact of Freeman being so much taller and heavier than his opponent was not regarded as an argument in favour of his real superiority. In truth, we have seen, and over and over again been led to believe, that a man standing six feet high, and weighing between twelve and thirteen stone, with muscular power and activity in proportion, is the _beau ideal_ of manly perfection; and that anything beyond this is mere surplusage, seldom, if ever, of any real advantage, as has been remarked of most of the giants who have been exhibited as objects of curiosity. We must admit, however, that for his size, we never saw a man so symmetrical in all respects as Freeman; there was nothing unwieldy or awkward in his appearance. In point of muscular development and strength, too, we are persuaded there was not his equal, and in point of activity and lightness, and springiness of action, he was not less to be admired; in fact, his early career was in the equestrian school, where, among other feats, he rode two horses at once, at the same time balancing a man with his arms above his head as he galloped round the circus, added to which he was renowned for the number of somersaults he could throw in succession. In lifting weights, too, on more occasions than one, he has raised fifteen cwt. from the ground. With all these appliances, however, there yet might be a want of animal courage and natural powers of enduring punishment and fatigue; and in the absence of any criterion upon which an opinion