Mexican boxer Chavez Jr arrested by US immigration officers, DHS says
May 14, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. speaks at press conference in anticipation of his fight against Jake Paul at Avalon Hollywood Theater. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images/File Photo
Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been arrested by U.S. immigration officers and is being processed for expedited removal from the country, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Thursday.
The DHS said Chavez, a Mexican citizen, had an active arrest warrant against him in Mexico for what it said was his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives.
"Under President Trump, no one is above the law - including world-famous athletes," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Chavez Jr., 39, is the son of former three-division world champion Julio Cesar Chavez. He began his professional boxing career in his native Culiacan, Sinaloa, in 2003, at the age of 17.
Chavez Jr. won the WBC middleweight championship by defeating German fighter Sebastian Zbik in 2011, but lost the title to Argentine Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez in 2012, after a 15-month reign.
His career has been overshadowed by numerous controversies and suspensions. In 2009, he tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic used to reduce muscle mass and eliminate banned substances, resulting in a seven-month suspension and a $10,000 fine.
In 2013, the Nevada Athletic Commission fined him $900,000 and imposed a nine-month suspension for failing a drug test after his loss to Sergio Martinez.
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One of his most high-profile defeats came in 2017, when he faced Mexican boxer Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.
He currently has a record of 54 wins, six losses and one draw, with 34 knockouts.
His most recent loss came against Jake Paul on Saturday. REUTERS
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