Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has much more serious problems than letting his hands go
against Jake Paul on Saturday night.
The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detained the Mexican boxer and are processing him for an expedited removal from the United States.
Chavez was arrested Wednesday in Studio City, California.The DHS’ press release stated Chavez has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his “involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives.” DHS also noted that Chavez is “believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel,” designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
DHS stated Chavez, 39, entered the U.S. legally in August 2023 on a B2 tourist visa that expired in February 2024. Two months later, Chavez applied to become a lawful permanent U.S. citizen based on his marriage to an American citizen.
Chavez’s wife is connected to the Sinaloa Cartel through a prior relationship with a deceased son of notorious cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The infamous Guzman is reportedly imprisoned at ADX Florence, a supermax federal penitentiary in Colorado.
ICE was informed that Chavez was a threat to public safety in the U.S. on Dec. 17. The former WBC middleweight champion was allowed back into the U.S. on Jan. 4, but it wasn’t until June 27 that it was determined Chavez’s application for citizenship was fraudulent and that he should be removed from the U.S.
“This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition and explosives was arrested by ICE,” Tricia McLaughlin, DHS’ assistant secretary for public affairs, said. “It is shocking the previous administration flagged this criminal illegal alien as a public safety threat, but chose to not prioritize his removal and let him leave and COME BACK into our country. Under President Trump, no one is above the law — including world-famous athletes. Our message to any cartel affiliates in the U.S. is clear: We will find you and you will face consequences. The days of unchecked cartel violence are over.”
The besmirched Chavez (54-7-1, 34 KOs, 1 NC) lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) on June 28, in the main event of an MVP Promotions pay-per-view show at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. His loss to Paul marked the latest in a long line of failures in the ring for a son of Mexico’s most esteemed boxer, Julio Cesar Chavez.
DHS listed the younger Chavez’s three arrests in the United States during the past 13 years in its press release. Most recently, Chavez Jr. was arrested on Jan. 7, 2024, in Los Angeles, charged with weapons offenses and eventually convicted.
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing