Famed Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr has been arrested for overstaying his visa and mendacity on a inexperienced card utility and shall be deported to Mexico, the place he faces organised crime costs, US federal officers mentioned.
The arrest comes solely days after the previous middleweight champion lost a match against influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Anaheim, California. The Division of Homeland Safety mentioned officers decided Chávez needs to be arrested on June 27, a day earlier than the battle. It was unclear why they waited to behave for days after the high-profile occasion.
The 39-year-old boxer was picked up Thursday by numerous federal brokers whereas he was driving a scooter in entrance of his dwelling in Studio Metropolis, in line with Chávez’s lawyer Michael Goldstein.
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“The present allegations are outrageous and easily one other headline to terrorise the group,” Goldstein mentioned.
Many individuals throughout Southern California are on edge as immigration arrests have ramped up, prompting protests and the federal deployment of Nationwide Guard troops and US Marines to downtown Los Angeles.
Goldstein didn’t know the place Chávez was being detained, however mentioned he and his consumer have been due in courtroom Monday associated to gun possession costs from final 12 months and have been to offer an replace on his progress in a substance abuse program.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (proper) punches Jake Paul on his technique to dropping. Getty
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Chávez for overstaying a vacationer visa that expired in February 2024 after he entered the nation in August 2023, the Division of Homeland Safety mentioned.
Chávez additionally submitted a number of fraudulent statements whereas making use of for a inexperienced card in April 2024, primarily based on his marriage to a US citizen, Frida Muñoz, the company mentioned. Her earlier associate was Édgar Guzmán López, the now-deceased son of imprisoned Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
US Citizenship and Immigration Companies flagged ICE about Chávez in December, saying he “is an egregious public security menace”, and but he was allowed again into the nation with out a visa in January underneath the Biden administration, the company mentioned.
US officers mentioned he has an energetic 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.
Mexico’s Legal professional Common’s Workplace mentioned that they’ve initiated extradition procedures for “Julio “C”, who has had an arrest warrant in Mexico since March 2023 for organised crime and arms trafficking. A federal agent who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not authorised to talk publicly on the matter confirmed to The Related Press that “Julio C” is Chávez Jr.
Following information of the arrest, Paul tweeted an American flag.
Earlier than his bout with Paul on Sunday, Chávez had fought simply as soon as since 2021, having fallen to innumerable lows throughout a prolonged boxing profession carried out within the shadow of his father, Julio César Chávez, probably the most beloved athletes in Mexican historical past and a member of the Worldwide Boxing Corridor of Fame who gained championships in a number of weight courses.
The son has failed drug assessments, served suspensions and egregiously missed weight whereas being extensively criticised for his intermittent dedication to the game.
He nonetheless rose to its heights, successful the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and defending it 3 times. Chávez shared the ring with generational greats Canelo Álvarez and Sergio Martinez, dropping to each.
After battling drug dependancy for lengthy stretches of his profession, Chávez went to a rehabilitation clinic in Sinaloa and claimed to be clear for the Paul battle. He regarded in his finest form in years whereas getting ready for the match.
Chávez mentioned in an interview with the Los Angeles Instances forward of his battle with Paul that he and his trainers have been shaken by the immigration arrests.
“I don’t perceive the state of affairs — why a lot violence? There are quite a lot of good folks, and also you’re giving the group an instance of violence,” Chávez mentioned. “After all the things that’s occurred, I wouldn’t need to be deported.”
