LOS ANGELES (BN24) — Julio César Chávez Jr., the Mexican former middleweight boxing champion and son of a national sports icon, was arrested this week in Los Angeles and is set to be deported to Mexico, where authorities accuse him of organized crime and weapons trafficking, U.S. federal officials announced Thursday.
The 39-year-old Chávez Jr. was taken into custody Wednesday by a team of federal agents as he rode a scooter outside his Studio City residence, days after he lost a widely publicized fight against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Anaheim. According to the Department of Homeland Security, immigration authorities had determined on June 27 — the day before the bout — that Chávez should be arrested for immigration violations. It remains unclear why the action was delayed until after the event.
In a statement, Chávez’s attorney, Michael Goldstein, condemned the arrest as an attempt to “terrorize the community” amid an intensifying crackdown on immigrants across Southern California that has sparked protests and prompted the deployment of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines in downtown Los Angeles. Goldstein said as of Thursday morning he did not know where Chávez was being held.
Federal officials said Chávez overstayed a tourist visa that expired in February after he entered the U.S. in August 2023. He also allegedly lied repeatedly on a green card application he filed in April, claiming marriage to a U.S. citizen, Frida Muñoz. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services flagged his case in December, describing Chávez as an “egregious public safety threat,” yet immigration officers allowed him to reenter the country without a visa in January under the Biden administration.
Authorities said Muñoz was previously in a relationship with Édgar Guzmán López, the slain son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the convicted leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Federal officials believe Chávez is affiliated with the same cartel and has been involved in trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives. Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office confirmed that it has an active extradition request for “Julio C.” on organized crime and weapons charges dating back to March 2023. A federal law enforcement source speaking on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press that “Julio C.” refers to Chávez Jr.
The arrest is the latest low point in Chávez’s tumultuous career, which for years has been overshadowed by his father, Julio César Chávez Sr., a multiple-division world champion and one of Mexico’s most celebrated athletes. The younger Chávez reached the pinnacle of the sport when he won the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and defended it three times, but his achievements were frequently undercut by controversy. He failed drug tests, missed weight, and served suspensions, drawing criticism for a lack of discipline even as he faced elite opponents including Canelo Álvarez and Sergio Martinez.
In the lead-up to his bout with Paul, Chávez appeared committed to revitalizing his career. He spent time in rehabilitation in Sinaloa and said he was finally clean. He arrived in the ring in his best physical condition in years, only to suffer a defeat that now pales against the legal crisis engulfing him.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times before the fight, Chávez said he and his team were unnerved by the surge in immigration enforcement. “I don’t understand the situation — why so much violence? There are a lot of good people, and you’re giving the community an example of violence,” he said. “After everything that’s happened, I wouldn’t want to be deported.”
Chávez and his attorney were scheduled to appear in court Monday to address an unrelated gun possession case and report on his progress in a substance abuse program.
AP
