Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr., son of the legendary fighter, was deported to Mexico on August 19, 2025, after his arrest in the United States. His arrest in the U.S., which occurred on July 3, came days after a high-profile fight with Jake Paul in California, and was due to overstaying his visa and lying on a green card application. Upon his deportation, Chávez Jr. was immediately handed over to authorities in Mexico, where he is wanted for alleged arms and drug trafficking and ties to the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. He was admitted to a Federal Social Reintegration Center, a prison outside of Hermosillo, in the northern state of Sonora.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the deportation, noting that she had previously expressed hope that the boxer would be deported to face charges in Mexico. Mexican Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero stated that the investigation into Chávez Jr. began in 2019, with a warrant for his arrest in Mexico active since 2023. Sheinbaum explained that he hadn't been detained earlier because he had spent most of his time in the U.S.

Following his deportation and initial detention, a Mexican judge in Hermosillo ruled on Saturday, August 23, 2025, that Chávez Jr. would go on trial for the accusations of cartel ties but would not have to remain in custody during the trial. He was, however, prohibited from leaving Mexico. The judge also set a three-month period for further investigation into the case. Chávez Jr.'s lawyer, Rubén Fernando Benítez Alvarez, has dismissed the claims against his client as merely "speculation" and "urban legends."

The case against Chávez Jr. is part of a broader investigation launched by Mexican prosecutors in 2019 against the Sinaloa Cartel for organized crime, human trafficking, arms trafficking, and drug trafficking. This wider investigation stemmed from a complaint filed by the United States and has led to charges against 13 individuals, including Ovidio Guzman Lopez, the son of convicted drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzman, who was arrested in January 2023 and extradited to the U.S. eight months later.

Chávez Jr.'s career has been significantly overshadowed by his father's immense legacy and marked by numerous personal struggles. The 39-year-old boxer has battled addiction to various drugs throughout much of his career, resulting in failed drug tests and serving suspensions. He has also faced legal troubles, including a conviction for drunken driving in Los Angeles in 2012, which led to a 13-day jail sentence. More recently, in January 2024, he was arrested on gun charges for possessing two AR-style ghost rifles, a case that is still pending. He was released on a $50,000 bond on the condition that he attend a residential drug treatment facility, where he regularly reports his progress.

His father, Julio César Chávez Sr., a massive celebrity in the 1980s and 1990s, was known to mix social circles with dealers and claimed friendship with drug lord Amado Carrillo Fuentes. While the iconic fighter defended his son after his initial arrest, he has not spoken publicly since the deportation, leaving the younger Chávez to navigate these high-profile legal battles and personal challenges in the public eye.