> These days even drunk young guys seem to be content with hurling a few insults.

I think there is a strong cultural influence for that. I'm from Spain and in my country drunk fighting is something that mostly British and German tourist do. We don't understand why, we may get super drunk and have super heated arguments, but it's quite uncommon we will get to a physical fight. But in the areas around the Mediterranean Sea full of tourists, fights are a daily occurrence.