Boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested by federal agents in Studio City, California on Wednesday, four days after he lost to Jake Paul at Honda Center in Anaheim.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Chávez, who is being processed for “expedited removal from the United States.”
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The DHS also said that the 39-year-old has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for being involved in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives.
According to the department, Chávez entered the United States legally with a B2 tourist visa in August 2023, which expired the following February. He applied to be a lawful permanent resident in 2024 after marrying a U.S. citizen, who is allegedly affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel “through a prior relationship with the now-deceased son of the infamous cartel leader Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman.”
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) flagged ICE about Chávez being an “egregious public safety threat” in December 2024. However, he was granted reentry in January after he was deemed “not an immigration enforcement priority.”
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“Following multiple fraudulent statements on his application to become a Lawful Permanent Resident, he was determined to be in the country illegally and removable on June 27, 2025,” the department statement said.
Chávez Jr. is the son of Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez Sr. and was born in the state of Sinaloa. He competed in nine different weight classes and holds a 54-7-1 (W-L-D) record, with 34 wins by knockout. Chávez notably fought Canelo Alvarez in 2017 and lost a unanimous decision.
After losing a split decision to UFC legend Anderson Silva in 2021, Chávez stacked wins against David Zegarra and Uriah Hall before another decision loss to Paul on Saturday.