Julio César Chávez Jr.’s Arrest Casts Shadow Over Boxing Scene in Sinaloa Amid Cartel Allegations

Boxers Cesar Chavez Jr,, left, smiles towards his father Julio Cesar Chavez, Mexico's former world champion, during a boxing news conference at the Avalon Hollywood Theatre in Los Angeles, May 14, 2025.

In Culiacán, the capital of Mexico’s Sinaloa state, a modest crowd gathered Friday inside a local sports arena to watch young amateur boxers compete, while outside a bronze statue of boxing icon Julio César Chávez stood silently, glove raised. The event, organized by one of Chávez’s brothers and promoted with the promise that “The Legend” himself would appear, proceeded without the legendary boxer, overshadowed by troubling news.

Chávez’s eldest son, Julio César Chávez Jr., was arrested Wednesday by U.S. immigration authorities in Los Angeles. He faces charges of overstaying his visa and providing false information on a green card application. More strikingly, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed an active arrest warrant in Mexico accusing Chávez Jr. of arms and drug trafficking with alleged links to the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. Authorities plan to process him for expedited removal.

In Culiacán, Chávez’s name commands reverence akin to that of Diego Maradona in Argentina; he is a source of local pride, having risen from humble beginnings near train tracks to national boxing stardom. However, mention of his son’s alleged cartel ties abruptly silences conversations.

Previously, residents of Sinaloa spoke openly—even if euphemistically—about the cartel that dominates the region, living in a tense peace. But after a violent feud erupted between cartel factions last year, following the U.S. abduction of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada by one of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s sons, public discussion of the cartel has become dangerous to broach.

At Friday’s boxing event, Chávez Jr.’s arrest was a quiet undercurrent, whispered among attendees. Local sports reporter Óscar Arrieta noted the arrest’s profound impact, especially because of the stark accusations by U.S. authorities linking Chávez Jr. to organized crime. While no explicit details of these ties were disclosed, the U.S. highlighted Chávez Jr.’s marriage to a U.S. citizen who is the granddaughter of Guzmán, fueling speculation.

Arrieta questioned why, if a Mexican arrest warrant had existed since 2023, authorities had not detained Chávez Jr. earlier, especially as he maintained a public profile, training openly for a high-profile California fight over the past six months. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum remarked that Chávez Jr. had mostly remained in the U.S. since the warrant’s issuance.

Arrieta speculated the U.S. move might also be aimed at exposing shortcomings of the Mexican government, noting the unusual intersection of sports and organized crime.

Inside Culiacán’s usually lively boxing gyms, a subdued atmosphere prevailed after the arrest announcement. Jorge Romero, a former professional boxer and trainer at Sinaloa Autonomous University, expressed personal support for Chávez Jr., calling him “an excellent person” focused on his training. Romero refrained from discussing cartel links, calling the subject “too delicate,” and emphasized that boxing and organized crime operate on separate paths in Sinaloa. “We don’t have anything to do with organized crime. On the contrary, it’s a clean sport, very healthy from my point of view,” he said.