MEXICAN boxing star Julio César Chávez Jr. has been arrested by U.S. federal officials for overstaying his visa and making false statements on a green card application.
He now faces deportation to Mexico, where he is wanted on organized crime charges. The arrest occurred on Wednesday (Thursday, July 3, 2025, PH time), days after his recent loss to Jake Paul in Anaheim, California.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that the decision to arrest Chávez Jr. was made on June 27, a day before his fight.
His attorney, Michael Goldstein, stated that federal agents detained Chávez Jr. while he was on a scooter in Studio City, Los Angeles. Goldstein called the allegations “outrageous,” amidst heightened immigration arrests in Southern California.
Chávez Jr.’s legal woes are extensive, including a 2012 drunk driving conviction and a January 2024 arrest on gun charges involving “AR-style ghost rifles.” He was released on bond with a condition to enter a drug treatment facility, a case still pending.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that Chávez Jr. overstayed a tourist visa from August 2023, which expired in February 2024.
Furthermore, DHS alleges he submitted fraudulent information on his April 2024 permanent residency application, based on his marriage to Frida Muñoz, who is connected to the Sinaloa cartel. U.S. officials believe Chávez Jr. himself is an affiliate of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, a group linked to significant drug violence.
Despite U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services flagging Chávez Jr. as an “egregious public safety threat” in December, he was permitted to re-enter the U.S. without a visa in January.
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office confirmed that an arrest warrant for “Julio C” (Chávez Jr.) was issued in March 2023 for organized crime and arms trafficking, and Mexico has initiated extradition proceedings.
In Mexico, the arrest has drawn mixed reactions. Some believe it’s a political move, while others attribute it to the boxer’s history of drug addiction.
Chávez Jr., who claimed to be clean before his fight with Paul, had expressed fears of deportation, stating he “wouldn’t want to be deported.”
Throughout a career often overshadowed by his legendary father, Julio César Chávez Sr., Chávez Jr. notably won the WBC middleweight title in 2011. / FROM THE WIRES