Boxing celebrity Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in Los Angeles, potentially facing deportation. Key information is provided below.
In a shocking turn of events, Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is facing deportation from the United States and criminal charges in Mexico for his alleged involvement in organized crime and weapons trafficking.
On Thursday, Mexican authorities initiated extradition proceedings for Chavez Jr., following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 2, 2025, in Studio City, California. The 39-year-old former middleweight champion is being processed for expedited removal from the United States due to immigration violations and fraudulent statements on his residency application.
The arrest is connected to an active arrest warrant in Mexico, issued by federal prosecutors, related to organized crime and weapons trafficking. Mexican authorities associate Chavez Jr. with affiliations to the Sinaloa cartel, a designated foreign terrorist organization under previous U.S. administration policies.
In Mexico, Chavez Jr. faces charges for his alleged participation in clandestinely bringing weapons, ammunition, cartridges, and explosives into the country, as well as manufacturing such items without permits.
In the U.S., Chavez Jr. has a criminal record for DUI and firearm offenses. In January 2024, he was arrested and later convicted on gun charges in Los Angeles, involving illegal possession of an assault weapon and manufacture or import of a short-barreled rifle. He was also convicted in 2012 of driving under the influence in Los Angeles, resulting in 13 days of jail and three years probation.
Chavez Jr. legally entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in August 2023, which expired in February 2024. In April 2024, he applied for lawful permanent resident status based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen, Frida Munoz. However, Homeland Security stated that Chavez Jr. submitted fraudulent statements on this application and was in the country illegally, leading to his detention and removal proceedings.
Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, "no one is above the law-including world-famous athletes." A federal agent confirmed to The Associated Press that "Julio C" is Chavez. DHS said Thursday that Chavez Jr. was being processed for "expedited removal" from the country.
Chavez Jr.'s father is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. However, his son's career has been marred by battles with drug addiction, failing drug tests, serving suspensions, and missing weight. He lost to Canelo Alvarez and Sergio Martinez in the ring and won the WBC middleweight title in 2011, defending it three times.
Last week, the U.S. Justice Department revealed that the Sinaloa Cartel hired a hacker who was able to infiltrate an FBI agent's phone data to help track and kill informants. Mexico's Attorney General's Office issued an arrest warrant against "Julio C" in March 2023 in an investigation of organized crime and arms trafficking allegations.
Frida Munoz, Chavez Jr.'s wife, is the mother of a granddaughter of imprisoned Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. The Sinaloa Cartel is blamed for a significant portion of Mexico's drug violence.
As Chavez Jr.'s deportation proceedings continue, it remains to be seen how these developments will impact his career and personal life.
- Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., a former middleweight champion, is being prosecuted for criminal charges in both the United States and Mexico, involving allegations of organized crime and weapons trafficking.
- American authorities have initiated extradition proceedings for Chavez Jr., citing immigration violations, fraudulent statements on his residency application, and a connection to a warrant related to organized crime and weapons trafficking in Mexico.
- In addition to these charges, Chavez Jr. has a criminal record in the U.S., with previous convictions for DUI and firearm offenses, including illegal possession of an assault weapon and manufacture or import of a short-barreled rifle.
- The general news, crime-and-justice, politics, and sports sectors have been impacted by these developments, as Chavez Jr.'s career, personal life, and his past associations with the Sinaloa cartel come under scrutiny.
%20officials%20in%20Los%20Angeles%2C%20potentially%20facing%20deportation.%20Key%20information%20is%20provided%20below.){kind=link}