Boxers wear gloves to protect their hands, not to protect their victims. If you threw 12 rounds’ worth of punches with unprotected fists you’d fracture several fingers at a minimum.
Open hand (eg Tai Chi) head slaps are supposed to be quite effective at delivering concussive forces without injuring the hand.
Kiai!!
heh. made ya blink!
That’s how I always heard it. Heel of the palm driven up and towards the person’s nose, following the angle it has from nose tip to skull.