Quote Originally Posted by greynotsoold
This is a subject on which I'm prone to wax eloquent...Pardon me if I'm a bit on the piss....
Look at the great fighters. Archie Moore, Gene Tunney, Dempsey, any of them. NOT A SINGLE ONE had their left hand up in front of their face. Billy Graham, Ray Robinson, find one that held that left up in front of their eyes.
See the punches!!
The thing is if you keep your hands onto your face you're commited to blocking and that alone. It's a passive defense keeping your hands on your cheeks that prevents you from feinting, parrying, and even seeing. Back in the day amateurs fought more like professionals than they do today.

If you could slip, roll, catch, parry and counter with impunity your defense would be far greater than if you were to have your hands attached to your face. Your hands hands can still be brought up to block punches as needed.

Why work harder holding your hands up to your eyeballs which is going to do you more harm than good?