Los Angeles, July 4: Famed Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. has been arrested for entering US illegally and will be deported to Mexico, where he faces organised crime charges, federal officials said Thursday.
The arrest comes only days after the former middleweight champion fought in a match against Jake Paul in Anaheim, California.
The Department of Homeland Security said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Chávez for overstaying a tourist visa that expired in February 2024 after he entered the country in August 2023.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services flagged ICE about Chávez last year, saying he “is an egregious public safety threat,” and yet he was allowed back into the country January 4 of this year, the agency said.
Officials said he has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organised crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives and is believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel. ICE agents arrested Chávez in Studio City, California on July 2.
Chavez’s attorney Michael Goldstein said the boxer was picked up by a large number of federal agents while he was riding a scooter in front of his home in Studio City. Goldstein did not know where Chavez was being detained as of Thursday morning, but said they were due in court on Monday for his criminal charges.
The administration said Chavez applied for a green card on April, 2, 2024, based on his marriage to a US citizen, who is connected to the Sinaloa Cartel through a prior relationship with the now-deceased son of imprisoned cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The agency said he had submitted multiple fraudulent statements on his application, which led to his arrest.
Chávez had fought just once since 2021 before his bout with Paul, having fallen to innumerable lows during a lengthy boxing career conducted in the shadow of his father, one of the most beloved athletes in Mexican history. The son has failed drug tests, served suspensions and egregiously missed weight while being widely criticized for his intermittent dedication to the sport
He still rose to its heights, winning the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and defending it three times. Chávez shared the ring with generational greats Canelo Álvarez and Sergio Martinez, losing to both. (AP)
