A professional boxer has been arrested and is awaiting deportation just days after fighting Jake Paul in a main event bout live on pay-per-view.
On Saturday night, Paul moved to 12-1 in his professional career with a unanimous decision victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
But mere days later and the Mexican has been detained by the ICE, with Homeland Security confirming his arrest on Thursday evening.
A statement from @DHSgov on X read: "On July 2, ICE arrested Mexican boxer and criminal illegal alien Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
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"He is now being processed for expedited removal from the United States. This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunitions and explosives.
"Under President Trump, NO ONE is above the law—including world-famous athletes. Our message to any cartel affiliates in the U.S. is clear: We will find you and you will face consequences. The days of unchecked cartel violence are over."
The 39-year-old, a Mexican citizen, had previously been identified as a safety threat - with authorities deeming him to be linked to the Sinaloa Cartel which was immediately branded a "foreign terrorist organisation" by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office.
Authorities say that Chavez Jr, overstayed a tourist visa that expired in February 2024 after he entered the country in August 2023 and there was an active arrest warrant for him in Mexico.
Commenting on the arrest, assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: "This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition, and explosives was arrested by ICE. It is shocking the previous administration flagged this criminal illegal alien as a public safety threat, but chose to not prioritize his removal and let him leave and COME BACK into our country."
After producing "multiple fraudulent statements" in a bid to become a Lawful Permanent Resident, he became removable from the US on June 27 - a day prior to his fight with Paul.
Chavez Jr, the son of former three-weight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, has fought 63 times professionally, winning 54 and previously holding the WBC middleweight title.
Josh Lawless