Former Middleweight Boxing Champ Arrested in Mexico Following Deportation from U.S.

Mexico is alleging Julio César Chávez Jr. has cartel ties.

Julio César Chávez Jr. has been imprisoned on alleged ties to organized crime, Mexico's president said Tuesday. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Former middleweight boxing world champion Julio César Chávez Jr. has been arrested in Mexico amid allegations of cartel involvement, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed Tuesday via Fabiola Sanchez of the AP.

“I understand he was deported. I don’t know if it was yesterday or this morning, but we were informed that he was arriving in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said in a news briefing.

Chávez was detained earlier this summer on allegations that he lied when applying for a green card and overstayed a visa that had expired in 2024. Now, Mexico has imprisoned him on allegations of arms and drug trafficking, and is accusing him of involvement with the Sinaloa Cartel.

The 39-year-old was the WBC middleweight champion from 2011 to '12, beating Germany's Sebastian Zbik to win the belt. He eventually lost it to Argentina's Sergio Martinez. Chávez is the son of Hall of Fame three-division world champion Julio César Chávez.

The Culiacán, Mexico native most recently fought American celebrity Jake Paul on June 28 in Anaheim, losing by unanimous decision.

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