Vince Bagnato

CPBC President

Vince Bagnato was the first president of the Canadian Professional Boxing Council, established in 1976. Bagnato crowned the organization's first heavyweight champion Paul Nielsen of Toronto, Ontario, during the group's initial year of activity. Bagnato started the organzation to find a replacement champion for Canadian Boxing Federation titlist George Chuvalo, who by 1976 hadn't defended his Canadian title in over four years. After naming Nielsen the CPBC champion, it was Bagnato and the CBF reached a title unification agreement that would see Chuvalo and Nilson square off in October of 1978. Tragically, Nielsen died in a car accident two months prior to the fight.

Despite founding a rival organization, Bagnato always strove for reconciliation with the CBF. Following Nielsen's death in 1978, Bagnato stated: "It doesn't do boxing any good to have two different champions, especially in the heavyweight division, because as the heavyweight division goes so goes boxing."