He was beat all hollow, i.e. he had no chance of conquering: it was all hollow, or a hollow thing, it was a decided thing from the beginning. See Hollow.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
All Holiday * All NationsNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes