Boxing champion Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested this week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and now faces deportation to Mexico, where authorities say he is wanted on serious organized crime charges.
Chávez, 39, was picked up by federal agents on Wednesday while riding a scooter in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, where he resides.
Highlights
- Boxing champion Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested by ICE in L.A. and faces deportation to Mexico over organized crime charges.
- Chávez overstayed his U.S. visa and allegedly submitted false info for permanent residency based on marriage to a U.S. citizen.
- Authorities link Chávez to the Sinaloa Cartel; his wife reportedly shares a child with cartel boss El Chapo's son.
- Chávez has an outstanding Mexican warrant for trafficking guns and explosives and faces official extradition proceedings.
- His arrest follows a recent public fight loss and previous legal issues including gun possession and drug addiction struggles.
Boxing champion Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested in L.A. and faces deportation
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The arrest took place just days after he lost a highly publicized fight against social media personality Jake Paul in Anaheim.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Chávez overstayed his U.S. tourist visa, which expired in February 2024.
He also allegedly submitted false information when applying for permanent residency in April, based on his marriage to U.S. citizen Frida Muñoz.
Federal officials say Chávez is connected to the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel. His wife reportedly shares a child with the son of cartel boss Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán.
The DHS said Chávez poses a threat to public safety and national security.
“This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition, and explosives was arrested by ICE,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
“It is shocking the previous administration flagged this criminal illegal alien as a public safety threat, but chose not to prioritize his removal and let him leave and COME BACK into our country.”
“Under President Trump, no one is above the law—including world-famous athletes. Our message to any cartel affiliates in the U.S. is clear: We will find you and you will face consequences. The days of unchecked cartel violence are over.”
“Julio C”—as officials initially referred to him—has an outstanding arrest warrant in Mexico issued in March 2023 for alleged ties to organized crime and weapons trafficking.
On Thursday, Mexico’s Attorney General officially initiated extradition processes.
Image credits: Luke Hales/Getty Images
“The current allegations are outrageous and simply another headline to terrorize the community,” said Chávez’s attorney, Michael Goldstein.
His family released a statement Thursday saying they fully support him and trust the legal process.
“We have full confidence in his innocence,” the statement said. “We firmly believe that the proper course is to allow the competent authorities to carry out their work without external pressure or speculation.”
This is not Chávez’s first arrest.
In January 2024, police arrested him in Los Angeles after finding two unregistered AR-style rifles in his possession.
He was released on a $50,000 bond and ordered to attend drug treatment. That case remains open, and he has been reporting his progress to authorities.
In 2012, he was convicted of drunk driving and sentenced to 13 days in jail. He has also openly struggled with drug addiction throughout his career.
Chávez’s arrest has drawn mixed reactions in both the U.S. and Mexico. In Mexico City, some expressed suspicion that Trump wanted to make him an example and attract media attention.
Others said the arrest was expected, given Chávez’s history of legal problems.
Chávez lost to Jake Paul in a recent, highly publicized fight
Image credits: Tayfun Coskun/Getty Images
Chávez, the son of boxing legend Julio César Chávez Sr., once held the WBC middleweight title and defended it three times.
But his career has long been overshadowed by personal struggles and comparisons to his father, a national hero in Mexico and a Hall of Famer.
He has fought only a few times in recent years. The most recent is his fight with Jake Paul. Chávez was heavily cheered on by the crowd but was eventually defeated by Paul.
Chávez appeared in good shape during the lead-up to the match. He had told the Los Angeles Times before the fight that he and his trainers were shaken, given the immigration raids in L.A.
“There are a lot of good people, and you’re giving the community an example of violence,” Chávez said. “After everything that’s happened, I wouldn’t want to be deported.”
The delay in his arrest has raised questions. ICE determined he was eligible for arrest on June 27, the day before the Jake Paul match, but waited nearly a week to act.