His father attempted to make a living as a bootlegger prior to prohibition, and the family struggled to raise six children under difficult circumstances.

Luftspring began his boxing career in 1932 out of Brunswick Talmud Torah, a local Toronto Jewish community and recreational centre.

Over the next four years, he fought 105 times (attaining a record of 100–5) and captured Golden Gloves Tournaments in various weight classes ranging from bantamweight to welterweight.

A wild street brawl first broke out at Christie Pits Park following tensions that occurred during a series of amateur softball games between two rival teams.

At the encouragement of his parents, he refused to attend the Games in protest over the poor treatment Jews were receiving in Nazi Germany.

[6] Luftspring and another boxer, Norman "Baby" Yack, attempted to participate in an alternate event being hosted that summer, the People's Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

[8] In 1938, Luftspring knocked out Frank Genovese before a Toronto crowd of 10,000 in the 13th of 15 rounds to win the Canadian welterweight championship.

Genovese and Luftspring's rivalry was extremely competitive and one of the dominant story lines of Toronto boxing in the late 1930s.

Luftspring lost to Greek American boxer Steve Makamos, a Middleweight contender, on February 14, 1940, in a ten-round split decision in Toronto.

Makamos led in the early fighting, and a late rally by Luftspring in the closing rounds was not enough to gain the decision.