Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr has been arrested by US immigration officials and is being processed for expedited removal from the country, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Thursday. The 39-year-old former middleweight world champion is facing deportation to Mexico, where he is wanted on charges related to organized crime and arms trafficking.
According to the DHS, Chavez, a Mexican national, is the subject of an active arrest warrant issued in Mexico in 2023 for alleged ties to organised crime and for trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives. Officials also claim Chvez is believed to be affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel.
“Under President Trump, no one is above the law – including world-famous athletes,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office confirmed that “Julio ‘C’” has been under investigation since 2023 for similar charges.
Chavez was reportedly detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers earlier this week outside his Studio City home in Los Angeles while riding a scooter, his attorney Michael Goldstein told reporters.
DHS stated that Chavez had overstayed a tourist visa that expired in February 2024, after entering the US in August 2023. Despite being flagged as a “public safety threat,” officials said he was permitted re-entry in January 2024.
Immigration authorities also allege that Chvez submitted fraudulent information while applying for a green card in April 2024. The application was based on his marriage to US citizen Frida Muoz, the former partner of dgar Guzmn Lpez, son of the late Sinaloa cartel figure Edgar Guzman and grandson of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Goldstein dismissed the charges as “outrageous,” saying they were intended to “terrorise the community,” and confirmed that Chavez had a court appearance scheduled Monday for unrelated gun possession charges. He also noted that Chavez was participating in a substance abuse recovery program.
The arrest comes just days after Chavez suffered a high-profile loss to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Anaheim, California — his first fight since 2021. In an interview before the match, Chavez expressed concern over the wave of immigration raids taking place across Southern California, saying, “After everything that’s happened, I wouldn’t want to be deported.”
Chavez Jr., son of Mexican boxing legend Julio Csar Chvez Sr., began his professional career in 2003 and won the WBC middleweight title in 2011, defending it three times. However, his career has been repeatedly derailed by drug suspensions, missed weights, and inconsistent performances. He holds a professional record of 54 wins (34 by knockout), six losses, and one draw.
Despite moments of brilliance in the ring and his connection to boxing royalty, Chavez Jr.’s legacy has been marred by controversy, including failed drug tests, multimillion-dollar fines, and long-standing struggles with substance abuse. He had recently undergone rehabilitation and claimed to be clean and in top form ahead of the Paul fight.
As of Thursday, his legal status and exact detention location remain unclear.
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