why did the old timers keep their hands low?

Kostya, also. But he had a very limited amateur career so he never got to learn correctly.

 

for whatever reason keep a low guard now and you're getting sparked !

 

Most Cuban pros keep their hands relatively low. Could be the experience of hundreds of amateur fights.

 

Fighters back then had heavier arms than today. Their arms were like cement.

 

Hm, like Vitali, right?

@topic: good points from most of you, it seems it isn´t as easy as it looks on first glance.

 

Sergio Martinez seems to do ok.:good

 

:? He was 10 times the amateur he was a pro.

 

putting your hands to your face isnt exactly a technique, it's hardwired. just as much as moving your head to slip a punch is more natural than taking the punch full on. it's not a myth that fighters back then didnt know how to block the face they just positioned themselves to not get hit by them.

low hands do have an advantage which is allowing your body to move your head without upsetting your balance, also you have a base to counter from.

also keeping hands up for 2 hours while under pressure is impossible to sustain.
the boxing games main strategy of the time was war of attrition,punches to the body was the norm and due to the lack of protection with gloves you couldnt sustain an attack to the face with the fear of breaking hands which could ruin your whole night.

with the rise of 15 rounds and dempsey you see that a low guard against a bullrushing technique (not new of course) could be costly.

but
high guards are not new, and low guards are hardly out of style.