Boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. arrested by ICE in LA: Watch the full arrest video

Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. arrested by DHS

Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was arrested by immigration officials in Studio City after his fight against Jake Paul. FOX 11 has obtained exclusive footage of the arrest.

LOS ANGELES - Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr., the son of legendary world champion Julio César Chávez Sr., was arrested Wednesday morning by federal agents.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ICE agents arrest Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez in California for alleged cartel ties: DHS

What we know:

FOX 11 News has exclusively obtained federal body camera footage capturing the moment Chávez Jr. was taken into custody. In the video, he questions agents in Spanish: "¿Y no le informan a mi abogado cuando ya tengo una orden?" "You don’t inform my lawyer when you have an order?"

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. arrested: FULL VIDEO

Mexican Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was arrested by immigration officials in Los Angeles after his fight with Jake Paul. Feds accuse Chavez Jr. of having connections to the Sinaloa Cartel. FOX 11 obtained exclusive footage of the arrest.

According to Homeland Security, Chávez Jr. had overstayed his visa and had been in the country illegally. Officials say the violation was determined on June 27, but he wasn’t arrested until after his high-profile boxing match against Jake Paul on June 29.

What they're saying:

Boxing journalist Elie Seckbach, a longtime friend of Chávez Jr., expressed disbelief over the arrest. "This is all a big shock… not anything anyone expected," Seckbach said. Seckbach, who runs ES News, says he has known Chávez Jr. for 15 years. He even submitted a personal impact statement on the boxer’s behalf to support his application for a specialized U.S. visa.

"He’s a great dad. He loves his wife, he loves his kids," Seckbach said. "He’s the type of person that, if I do a video about a coach whose kid has cancer, he’ll call me and say, ‘Hey, my lawyer is going to send you money for the kid. We’re going to take care of the expenses.’" 

The other side:

But federal authorities paint a far more serious picture. Homeland Security officials say Chávez Jr. is wanted in Mexico on an active warrant for alleged ties to organized crime, including trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives. They also allege he is affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel.

Seckbach pushed back on those claims. "I think they’re making a mistake here. I think the mountain will lead to a molehill, as they say. I know him—he’s not a street kid, he’s not a gangster. It’s not in his character," Seckbach said. While acknowledging Chávez Jr.'s past struggles with substance abuse, Seckbach emphasized that the boxer has been sober for nearly two years and focused on his family and career. "He’s a boxer, he’s an athlete. He’s not, as they try to describe him, this criminal mastermind," Seckbach said. "I do believe that when the dust settles, he will be totally vindicated."

Julio César Chávez Sr. is defending his son, urging the public not to rush to judgment and to allow due process to take its course.