Head Instructor: Vaia Zaganas

“Vicious” Vaia Zaganas is possibly the most accomplished female boxer to ever come out of Canada. After discovering the sport at an early age, she went on to win the gold medal at the Canadian National Championships in 1998. As part of Canada’s National team, Zaganas compiled an impressive record of 36-4, winning fights all over Canada, the United States and Europe. Other highlights of her amateur career include winning a second national title, twice winning gold at the U.S.A. vs Canada dual meet, twice winning gold at the U.S. national Blue and Gold event and being named “Most Outstanding Boxer” of the tournament. In 2000, she won Canada’s “Rookie of The Year” award for best performance in international competition, male or female.

Ranked number one in the world in her weight division, Vaia moved to Las Vegas, Nevada later that year to pursue a professional boxing career. Not surprisingly, her success in the ring continued, as she won the IFBA Straw-weight World Championship in 2002 and the NABF light-flyweight World Championship in 2004. Considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, Zaganas now has an overall professional record of 16-3 with 6 KO’s.

Vaia recently returned to Vancouver and is now teaching boxing, passing on her knowledge to students. “I think that boxing shaped my life by teaching me to achieve my goals and to be disciplined and focused,” she says. “Those are things I’ve been able to apply to other pursuits in my life. Now, I’m happy I can teach that to others through boxing.”