apolis ▁territory ▁( as ▁it ▁was ▁known ) ▁gave ▁a ▁" story - line ▁only " ▁ed ict ▁to ▁the ▁N WA ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 0 : ▁Unless ▁Pat ▁O ' Con nor , ▁the ▁N WA ’ s ▁world ▁champion ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁def ended ▁his ▁title ▁against ▁G agne ▁in ▁ 9 0 ▁days , ▁then ▁G agne ▁would ▁become ▁the ▁recognized ▁A WA ▁World ▁He avy weight ▁Champion ▁by ▁default . ▁G agne ’ s ▁new ▁American ▁Wrestling ▁Association ▁un il ater ally ▁recognized ▁O ’ Con nor ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁A WA ▁world ▁champion . ▁There ▁was ▁never ▁any ▁intention ▁of ▁such ▁a ▁match ▁taking ▁place , ▁and ▁nin ety ▁days ▁later , ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁the ▁A WA ▁recognized ▁G agne ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁A WA ▁World ▁He avy weight ▁Champion . ▁The ▁A WA ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁dominant ▁professional ▁wrest ling ▁organization ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁month ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Sam ▁Much nick ▁stepped ▁aside ▁as ▁N WA ▁President . ▁Three ▁N WA ▁Pres idents ▁followed ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁years : ▁Frank ▁Tun ney ▁from ▁the ▁Map le ▁Le af ▁Wrestling ▁promotion ▁in ▁the ▁Toronto ▁territory ▁( 1 9 6 0 - 1 9 6 1 ), ▁Fred ▁Koh ler , ▁owner ▁of ▁Fred ▁Koh ler ▁Enter pr ises ▁promotion ▁in ▁the ▁Chicago ▁territory ▁and ▁producer ▁of