I agree with you mostly, but unarmed weapons just don't seem like they would fit in too well.
I just think you ought to have the option to enchant gauntlets as offensive or defensive. (As a weapon or armor, essentially)
And yeah, gauntlets ought to deal more damage than bare fists, (Higher armor quality=More punching power, of course) and if you have gauntlets to use for punching, you don't really need to have other unarmed weapons.
I could live with that. I mean, I'd like to see claws and other weapons to really flesh out the unarmed skill. So instead of it being one handed and two handed, with unarmed on the side, those three could stand as equals.
Though, that is pushing things.
I could easily live with some really cool looking gauntlets, with the option to enchant them with offencive capabilities. Something though, as long as there is something for me. I'd be kinda sad if all the other combat styles got upgraded, but unarmed skill was tossed to the wayside, cause its not as flashy as some of the other styles.