Evander Holyfield Chased By Overzealous Fan In L.A., Cops Respond

Evander Holyfield had a run-in with an overeager fan after a meet and greet in Los Angeles last month ... and when the legendary boxer wouldn't sign for the guy, he began following The Real Deal, prompting a call to police.

The incident went down in Duarte -- a city in Los Angeles County -- on April 27 ... just minutes after the event, meant to be a cool opportunity for fans to interact with one of the best boxers ever, wrapped up. A fan approached Evander and tried to get some memorabilia signed. When he refused (the guy was given a signed 8x10 photo instead), things took a nasty turn.

We're told the man started to follow Evander, on foot, and then in his vehicle ... as Holyfield's driver attempted to get away.

It's unclear what the fan's intentions were ... or why he was following Evander's car.

Eventually, when the guy remained on their tail, Holyfield's people called the police, who met them on the side of an L.A. street.

The cops looked around to ensure the guy was no longer following them ... and thankfully, Evander made it to his next destination without further issue.

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Holyfield, who retired in 2014, is regarded as one of the greatest boxers ever ... with wins over George Foreman , Riddick Bowe , Larry Holmes , and Mike Tyson , just to name a few.