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07/03 14:35 CDT Mexican boxer Julio Csar Chvez Jr. arrested by ICE for
deportation, federal officials say
Mexican boxer Julio Csar Chvez Jr. arrested by ICE for deportation, federal
officials say
By JAIMIE DING and JULIE WATSON
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Famed Mexican boxer Julio Csar Chvez Jr. has been
arrested for entering the United States illegally and will be deported to
Mexico, where he faces organized crime charges, U.S. federal officials said
Thursday.
The arrest comes only days after the former middleweight champion lost a match
against Jake Paul in Anaheim, California.
The 39-year-old boxer was picked up by a large number of federal agents while
he was riding a scooter in front of his home in Studio City, according to
Chvez's attorney Michael Goldstein.
"The current allegations are outrageous and simply another headline to
terrorize the community," Goldstein said.
Goldstein did not know where Chvez was being detained as of Thursday morning,
but said they were due in court Monday related to gun possession charges from
last year and were to provide an update on his progress in a substance abuse
program.
The Department of Homeland Security said Immigration and Customs Enforcement
officers detained Chvez for overstaying a tourist visa that expired in
February 2024 after he entered the country in August 2023.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services flagged ICE about Chvez last year,
saying he "is an egregious public safety threat," and yet he was allowed back
into the country Jan. 4, the agency said.
Officials said he has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in
organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives and is
believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Associated Press
contacted Mexico's Attorney General's Office about the charges but the office
has not responded yet.
The Trump administration said Chvez applied for a green card on April, 2,
2024, based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen, Frida Muoz, the former partner
of dgar Guzmn Lpez, the now-deceased son of imprisoned Sinaloa cartel
kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.
The agency said Chvez had submitted multiple fraudulent statements on his
application, which led to his arrest.
Chvez had fought just once since 2021 before his bout with Paul on Saturday,
having fallen to innumerable lows during a lengthy boxing career conducted in
the shadow of his father, one of the most beloved athletes in Mexican history.
The son has failed drug tests, served suspensions and egregiously missed weight
while being widely criticized for his intermittent dedication to the sport.
He still rose to its heights, winning the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and
defending it three times. Chvez shared the ring with generational greats
Canelo Alvarez and Sergio Martinez, losing to both.
After battling drug addiction for long stretches of his career, Chvez went to
a rehabilitation clinic in Sinaloa and claimed to be clean for the Paul fight.
He looked in his best shape in years while preparing for the match.
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