Chávez Jr. to stand trial in Mexico for cartel ties, arms trafficking

A Mexican judge ordered that Julio César Chávez Jr. stand trial on charges tied to alleged cartel ties and arms trafficking, with the boxer allowed to await proceedings outside detention but restricted to staying within Mexican borders for the three-month investigative period. The high-profile case follows Chávez Jr.’s deportation from the United States after an arrest tied to a 2023 Mexican warrant, and it comes amid a broader cross-border crackdown on organized crime linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.

Chronology and current status Chávez Jr., 39, was detained by U.S. authorities in early July outside his Los Angeles home for overstaying a visa and providing inaccurate information on a green-card application. Days later, he fought YouTube celebrity Jake Paul in Los Angeles, and shortly thereafter he was deported to Mexico. Upon arriving in Sonora, he was taken into custody by Mexican authorities and transferred to the Federal Social Reintegration Center in Hermosillo. In late August, a Hermosillo court granted his release from pretrial confinement and ordered that he remain in Mexico while investigations continue, confirming three months for further inquiry. His lawyer described...