Just the opposite. The fighters back in the day were much better technically. They used the jab more than today's fighters. The heavier weight classes were certainly dominated by the those who had the knockout punch. They put fannies in the seats. But Floyd Patterson, Jimmy Ellis, and Larry Holmes used the jab a lot.
And don’t forget Rocky Balboa! That dude could take a punch/punches that would kill an actual person!
Patterson used to bull his way into the boxer. Nobody jabbed the way early Clay did. Holmes basically copied Clay who was his hero.
The GOP likes to run and hide.