Former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested in California by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Thursday in a statement.
The Mexican boxer lost to Jake Paul via unanimous decision on Saturday, a splashy headlining bout on DAZN that Paul sought to bolster his earning power and legitimacy in the sport.
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According to DHS, the fight took place one day after Chávez was determined to be in the country illegally. The agency added in its statement that it believed that Chávez was an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel, the criminal network known for producing and distributing illicit drugs on a mass scale while also wielding power through violence and intimidation.
“Chávez is a Mexican citizen who has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives,” the DHS said in its statement. The agency said that Chávez was connected with the cartel through his spouse, who was previously connected with the son of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, according to the statement. The Sinaloa Cartel was deemed a Foreign Terrorist Organization by President Donald Trump, DHS said.
Chávez’s managers did not respond to a request for comment but his lawyer Michael Goldstein called the allegations “outrageous” and said the “brazen” arrest appears “to be designed to terrorize the community.”
“Mr. Chávez is not a threat to the community,” Goldstein said in a statement to The Athletic. “In fact, he is a public figure and has been living out in the open and just fought Jake Paul in a televised boxing match before millions of viewers.
“His workouts were open to the public and afforded law enforcement countless opportunities to contact him if he was indeed a public threat.
“He has been focused on his own personal growth and mental health. He is in full compliance with his mental health diversion and all court obligations. For this reason, we fully expect his only pending case to be dismissed as required by statute.”
Goldstein also said that DHS’ press release falsely stated that Chávez had been convicted of the gun charges.
“Absolutely incorrect,” Goldstein told The Athletic. “He entered a not guilty plea and was granted diversion which will lead to a complete dismissal.”
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According to the agency’s statement, Chávez was allowed to reenter the United States in January on a temporary basis, but was found to have made multiple fraudulent statements on an application to become a permanent resident. After his arrest, Chávez is being processed for expedited removal from the United States.
Goldstein said he’s had no contact with Chávez since the arrest and hasn’t been given the boxer’s location.
It was not immediately clear how the fight was allowed to happen or whether those involved with the bout were aware of the agency’s perspective on Chávez’s immigration status. Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), which organized the fight, did not respond to a request for comment. The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), which licensed the fighters, did not respond to a request for comment.
It was not clear whether the arrest could affect the fight purses for the bout.
Chávez, 39, fell to 54-7-1 with Saturday night’s loss. He is a son of boxing legend Julio César Chávez, and rose to fame by winning the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and defending it three times. In 2017, he fought Canelo Álvarez to a unanimous decision loss.
(Photo: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images)
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