Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr., son of the legendary fighter Julio César Chávez, was released from a prison in Hermosillo, northern Mexico, on Sunday, August 24, after being deported from the United States. He is now awaiting trial on serious accusations of alleged cartel ties, specifically to the Sinaloa Cartel, and illegal arms and drug trafficking.

Chávez Jr.'s release came after a Mexican judge ruled that he would not have to remain in custody while awaiting trial. However, the judge imposed strict conditions, including prohibiting him from leaving Mexico. The court also granted a three-month period for further investigation into the case. His lawyer, Rubén Fernando Benítez Alvarez, has publicly dismissed the claims against his client as "speculation" and "urban legends."

The boxer's legal troubles escalated following his arrest in the U.S. on July 2 or 3 by federal agents outside his Los Angeles home. This arrest, which occurred just days after a high-profile fight against American boxer Jake Paul in California, was for overstaying his visa and allegedly lying on a green card application. Following nearly a month and a half in detention in the U.S., Chávez Jr. was deported to Mexico on August 19. Upon his arrival, he was handed over to agents of the Federal Attorney General's Office in Sonora state and subsequently transferred to the Federal Social Reintegration Center in Hermosillo.

In Mexico, an arrest warrant for Chávez Jr. had been active since 2023 for the alleged arms and drug trafficking and his connections to the Sinaloa Cartel. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the deportation and had previously expressed her hope in July that the boxer would be deported to Mexico to face his charges. Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero stated that the investigation into Chávez Jr. began in 2019 after a complaint filed by U.S. authorities against the Sinaloa Cartel for organized crime, human trafficking, arms trafficking, and drug trafficking. This broader investigation has also implicated 13 other 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 United States eight months later.

Chávez Jr.'s life has been marked by a series of scandals and personal struggles, often lived in the shadow of his iconic father. He has openly battled addiction to various drugs throughout much of his boxing career, leading to failed drug tests, suspensions, and widely criticized instances of missing weight. Beyond his cartel-related charges, Chávez Jr. has faced other legal issues. In 2012, he was convicted of drunken driving in Los Angeles and served a 13-day jail sentence. More recently, in January 2024, he was arrested on gun charges for possessing two AR-style "ghost rifles." He was later released on a $50,000 bond, conditioned on his attendance at a residential drug treatment facility, and has been regularly reporting his progress in that pending case.