Boxer Chavez Jr behind bars in Mexico after U.S. arrest

Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr., son of legendary world champion Julio César Chávez, has been jailed in northern Mexico following his deportation from the United States.

According to Mexico’s national arrest registry, the 39-year-old athlete entered a prison in Sonora after U.S. immigration authorities detained him in July, shortly after his widely publicized defeat to American influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed his return, stating that prosecutors had already issued an arrest warrant for alleged involvement in arms trafficking and organized crime.

Mexican prosecutors further allege Chávez Jr. acted as a henchman for the Sinaloa Cartel, which Washington recently labeled a foreign terrorist organization.

The case marks a stunning fall from grace for the boxer, once known for his famous family legacy in the ring. While prosecutors press forward, Chávez Jr.’s lawyer and relatives strongly reject the accusations, calling them politically motivated and unsubstantiated.

The Mexican attorney general’s office has declined to comment further. For Chávez Jr., once celebrated under the spotlight of sold-out arenas, this represents a dramatic shift from sports headlines to criminal allegations, and now, prison walls.