The rollercoaster career of Julio César Chávez Jr. has taken another dramatic turn. The former WBC middleweight champion and son of Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez Sr. was deported from the U.S. this week — and immediately arrested in Sonora, Mexico.

Chávez was first detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in early July, just four days after losing to Jake Paul in California, for overstaying his visa and falsifying information on a green card application. After spending more than a month in U.S. custody, he was deported to Mexico, where authorities wasted no time in jailing him.

Officials allege Chávez has been tied to organized crime, specifically the Sinaloa Cartel, as well as trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives. A federal investigation reportedly began back in 2019, with an arrest warrant issued in 2023. He’s now being held in a maximum-security prison in Hermosillo.

For fans, this latest chapter is a painful fall from grace. Once seen as the heir to his father’s boxing throne, Chávez Jr.’s career has been marred by inconsistency, addiction battles, and disappointing performances — including a one-sided loss to Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez in 2017 and a lackluster effort against Daniel Jacobs in 2019. His most recent fight, a passive decision loss to Paul, left many wondering how much desire he had left for the sport.

Now, Chávez Jr.’s future in and out of the ring is uncertain, with his legal troubles overshadowing what once looked like a promising career.