I dunno, I'm betting Hinault would have made a pretty rugged lightweight or welterweight if he'd gone that direction instead of cycling. His racing war face would have intimidated me as a boxer. He looks like the kinda fighter who'd gnaw on your ear in clinches.
Nobody looks good in a bare knuckle street brawl. But if you're gonna punch bare knuckled it's better to cock the wrist inward a bit to land with the knuckles and avoid jamming the thumb.