11 months ago
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Associated Press
Jul 7, 2025, 06:04 PM ET
MEXICO CITY -- As a professional, Julio Cesar Chavez fought 115 times successful the ring. Now, the erstwhile satellite champion said helium was acceptable to combat extracurricular of it to support his same-name son, who was arrested by U.S. migration agents astatine his Los Angeles location for overstaying his visa and lying connected a greenish paper application.
The 39-year-old Chavez Jr. besides has an progressive warrant for his apprehension successful Mexico for alleged arms and cause trafficking and suggested ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
"It's complicated, there's a batch of talk, but we're calm due to the fact that we cognize my son's innocence," the elder Chavez told El Heraldo newspaper. "My lad volition beryllium thing you want, anything, but helium is not a transgression and little everything he's being accused of."
Alejandro Gertz Manero, Mexico's Attorney General, said connected Sunday that the probe against Chavez Jr. started successful 2019 aft a ailment filed by U.S. authorities against the Sinaloa Cartel for organized crime, quality trafficking, arms trafficking, and cause trafficking.
"He knows a batch of people, we unrecorded in, it would beryllium intolerable not to cognize each of the radical that are doing illicit stuff, but that does not mean nothing," Chavez said. "In my time, I met everybody, and they did not travel aft me."
Chavez Sr. was considered 1 of the champion Mexican boxers of each time; a satellite champion astatine 3 divisions. In the 1980s and '90s helium was a immense personage who mixed with cause dealers. He claimed successful the past to person been friends with cause lord Amado Carrillo Fuentes.
Gertz Manero said Chavez Junior's lawyers person requested astatine slightest 5 injunctions successful Mexico, which person been rejected due to the fact that the boxer is inactive successful the United States.
"Lawyers successful the United States are moving to spot if helium stays there, and we're prepared if helium comes here," Chavez elder said. "We'll combat nether Mexican instrumentality if he's transferred here."
The son's apprehension came lone days aft the erstwhile middleweight champion mislaid to influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul successful a bout successful Anaheim, California.
The Department of Homeland Security said officials determined Chavez Jr. should beryllium arrested connected June 27, the time earlier the fight. It was unclear wherefore they waited to enactment for days aft the high-profile event.
"Why did they fto him fight? My lad has been paying taxes successful the United States for 3 years, and present successful Mexico they're accusing him of wealth laundering," Chavez Sr. said. "Yes, helium knows those people, but that doesn't mean I'm a cause trafficker. Let's spot the law."
