LOS ANGELES —- Days after famous boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. lost his high-profile match to Jake Paul, he was arrested for illegal stay in the U.S., and is set to be deported back to his home country Mexico, where he also faces organized crime charges for his affiliation with the Sinaloa cartel (per Homeland Security).
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Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested by ICE in Studio City, CA, days after his fight against Jake Paul. DHS says he's being processed for expedited removal due to an active warrant in Mexico where he's accused of involvement in organized crime and weapons trafficking pic.twitter.com/C7JeVVP3AQ
— WORLDSTARHIPHOP (@WORLDSTAR) July 3, 2025
Chavez Jr., the son of Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez, faced off with influencer-turned-boxer Paul on Saturday in Anaheim, California, where the former middleweight champion lost (99-91, 97-93 and 98-92).
To point out, the fight still went on as planned, despite the Department of Homeland Security announcing that Chavez had a warrant out for his arrest on June 27 (day before the fight).
Then on Wednesday, July 2, the 39-year-old boxer was surrounded by federal agents near his residence in LA.
Video of Ice arresting illegal immigrant Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. after his fight with Jake Paul 😂😂😂😂👇 pic.twitter.com/uqIIcvHVtr
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) July 4, 2025
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement:
"This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition, and explosives was arrested by ICE... 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."
According to records, Chavez Jr. entered the country on a tourist visa on August 2023, which expired in February 2024. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services named Chávez "an egregious public safety threat."
Per ESPN, "The agency also said Chávez submitted multiple fraudulent statements when he applied for permanent residency on April 2, 2024, based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen, Frida Muñoz. She is the mother of a granddaughter of imprisoned Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman."
To note also, in January 2024, Chavez Jr. was arrested on gun charges, as the police report states he possessed two 'AR-style ghost rifles.' Later he was let go on $50,000 bond, upon agreement for his attendance at a residential drug treatment facility.
After splitting his time between Mexico and America, somehow Chávez was allowed back into the U.S. on January 4, 2025, even with an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime, that entails trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives.
Some fans pointed out that his recent boxing opponent Jake Paul actually foreshadowed Chavez Jr.'s deportation.
“I’m going to beat his ass and send him back to Mexico.”
Jake Paul really spoke Julio Cesar Chavez Jr’s deportation into existence 💀
— Kicks (@kicks) July 3, 2025
Related: Mike Tyson Reveals He 'Almost Died' After Shocking Loss to Jake Paul
