Holyfield outclasses Savarese, eyes fifth title

EL PASO, Texas, July 1 (Reuters) Four-times heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Lou Savarese and vowed not to quit until he won a fifth title.

Holyfield, 44, knocked Savarese to the canvas in the fourth round of the non-title fight 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.

''Lou is a veteran and a very difficult fighter,'' Holyfield told reporters. ''He was hitting me with uppercuts, and hurt me with a few of them.'' Holyfield, just 4-3 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. I give myself 70 out of 100.

''But I will not quit until I am a five-times world champion.'' Holyfield took the opening two tentative rounds with his jab, but Savarese stormed back in third, buckling the former champion's knees with an uppercut.

Holyfield put Savarese to the floor with a body shot in the fourth and had taken complete control by the seventh, landing big rights from outside.

Just before the bell to end the ninth, Savarese was again on the canvas after taking a right to the body and a big left to the jaw.

Savarese was somehow able to survive the 10th as Holyfield chased a knockout, landing big rights that had referee Jesse Reyes ready to step in and Savarese's corner ready to throw in the towel.

Holyfield was the clear winner on all three scorecards.

Savarese, who dropped to 46-8, announced his retirement and said he had trouble seeing out of his left eye from the second round, a result of unintentional headbutts.

''I gave my all,'' said Savarese, ''but Holyfield's a legend.'' REUTERS BJR VC1145>