Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. deported to Mexico over alleged cartel ties
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr lost to Jake Paul via unanimous decision in California in July; former middleweight champion arrested by ICE agents for overstaying US visa after fight and has since been deported to native Mexico to face organised crime charges
Wednesday 20 August 2025 10:45, UK
Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been deported to Mexico, where he faces firearms and drug trafficking charges and alleged ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
The 39-year-old's deportation follows his arrest in the United States for overstaying his visa and lying on a green card application.
Mexican authorities confirmed Chavez was transferred to a prison near Hermosillo, Sonora.
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President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged his arrival during a press briefing, while Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero said the investigation dates back to 2019.
Chavez was arrested on July 3, shortly after his high-profile bout with Jake Paul in Anaheim, California.
Sheinbaum had previously expressed hope he would be returned to Mexico to face charges.
The son of boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez, Chavez Jr. has long struggled with drug addiction, failed tests, suspensions, and criticism for his inconsistent commitment to the sport.
He won the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and fought elite opponents like Canelo Álvarez and Sergio Martinez.
His legal troubles include a 2012 DUI conviction in Los Angeles and a January 2024 arrest for possessing two AR-style ghost rifles. He was released on $50,000 [£37,039] bond under the condition he enter residential drug treatment. That case remains pending.
His father, a cultural icon in the 80s and 90s with known ties to drug figures, defended his son after the arrest but has remained silent since the deportation.
