Holyfield has been a professional since 1984

Holyfield, 44, knocked Savarese down in the fourth round with a right to the body and nearly finished him at the end of the ninth with a left hook.

Savarese, three years Holyfield's junior, was reeling in the 10th but hung on to see out the round.

Afterwards, Holyfield vowed not retire until he had won a fifth world crown.

606: DEBATE The more Holyfield fights the more it makes you cringe LS

"Lou is a veteran and a very difficult fighter," said Holyfield. "He was hitting me with uppercuts, and hurt me with a few of them."

Holyfield, with three defeats in his last seven bouts, improved his record to 43-8-2 and rejected talk he was over the hill.

"Age is just a number," he said. "I think I proved that today. I am still determined and I'm happy with my performance.