Los Angeles, July 7, 2025 — Mexican former middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. failed to appear Monday at the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Northwest Division. He was scheduled to request early release from a pre‑trial diversion program related to a January 2024 gun possession case, according to USA Today.
Chávez Jr.’s attorney, Michael Goldstein, told reporters he had no idea where his client was and was unable to explain Chávez’s absence. Chávez Jr. had been in the diversion program following a January 2024 arrest for possessing two AR‑style “ghost” rifles. The arrangement requires regular court appearances and compliance with drug rehabilitation conditions. If he missed this Monday’s hearing, it could jeopardize his standing in the program and potentially reopen legal exposure.
Monday’s planned hearing came amid Chávez’s other legal entanglements. Most recently, he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on July 2, 2025, in Studio City for overstaying a visa and allegedly submitting false information on a green card application. ICE officials also flagged a Mexican arrest warrant accusing him of involvement with the Sinaloa cartel and arms trafficking, initiating expedited deportation proceedings.
This latest development deepens Chávez Jr.’s legal quagmire: immigration, gun charges, and ties to his family’s high-profile past. His biography includes a 2012 DUI conviction in Los Angeles and, earlier this year, the January firearms arrest.
Goldstein has previously defended Chávez, especially regarding the ICE arrest, describing the allegations as “outrageous” and emphasizing that the boxer remains “in full compliance” with the mental-health diversion program.This no‑show in court, however, brings renewed legal uncertainty.
It’s unclear whether the court will issue a bench warrant or remove Chávez from the diversion program. A hearing to address these issues could be scheduled in the coming weeks, but with Chávez’s whereabouts currently unknown, any timeline remains uncertain.
