Which criminal groups could pose a risk to Julio César Chávez Jr.’s safety?

The arrest and subsequent legal proceedings against Julio César Chávez Jr., son of the Mexican boxing legend, have put the spotlight not only on his legal future, but also on the risks that could threaten his personal safety amid the criminal conflict in the north of the country.

Last July, the boxer was arrested in California by ICE agents and subsequently deported to Mexico, where he faces charges of organized crime. The Attorney General’s Office links him to an alleged arms trafficking case in Nogales, Sonora, based on wiretaps that mention his alleged ties to factions of the Sinaloa Cartel.

The leaked conversations point to the boxer’s close ties to Los Chapitos, a group led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. According to local press reports, some of his associates have even used him to intimidate internal rivals. Furthermore, Chávez Jr.’s personal relationship with the widow of Edgar Guzmán, El Chapo’s son, who was murdered in 2008, reinforces suspicions about his ties.

Although his father has publicly defended him, asserting that “my son is innocent of everything he is accused of,” the perception of closeness to this faction places him in a delicate situation.

The risk for Chávez Jr. increases because Sonora is currently a territory of internal war within the Sinaloa Cartel. The Salazars, formerly allies of Los Chapitos, maintain an open confrontation with them that has left more than 200 people dead by execution in the last year.

His presence in Hermosillo, where the hearings were held, represented a source of insecurity in case the boxer were transferred. Beyond the legal arena, the truth is that Julio César Chávez Jr. finds himself in the middle of a complex criminal scheme. The mere suspicion of ties to Los Chapitos could make him a potential target for his internal rivals.

The tension surrounding his trial reflects that, even without a final sentence, the son of the César of boxing is exposed to a scenario where criminal groups can pose as great a risk as the trial he faces.