Today, the Canadian Lightweight title remains vacant however, on the horizon, there are a few young and very talented prospects coveting that title. Each have continued upon their winning ways, each staking claim to being the future Lightweight champion of Canada. One young man very close to getting his shot is 22 year old Cornwall, Ontario native Tony “Lightning” Luis. Luis (8-0, 2Ko’s) is currently ranked #1 by the Canadian Boxing Federation. FightNews Canada spent some time, one on one, with the Quebec Boxing Council champion Tony “Lightning” Luis, who held back no punches in discussing his early transition from the amateurs to the pros, his boxing career thus far, a few potential Canadian opponents, and the current state of professional boxing. Here is round 1 of our 2 rounds with our conversation with Canadian lightweight sensation Tony "Lightning" Luis.

Round 1:

In a country where having an extensive amateur background has been the norm before young talented fighters make the jump to fight in the Pros, you’ve made the leap rather early in your career. What made you decide to forgo any shot at representing Canada at the Olympic Games and turn Pro at such an early age?

“My last year as an amateur was my first year as a senior. I had qualified for the Nationals in December of ‘07, and Beijing was in the summer of ’08. I knew that my chances were slim that, even if I won the Nationals, I wouldn’t likely been able to rack up enough wins inorder to gain a top 16 ranking to qualify for the Olympics. Especially with so little time, it’s just so hard to do. I figured that I’d give it a shot anyway. Some people were telling me that I should just wait until 2012, that I’d be older, it’d be my time, and that I would be a better fighter. Well, I said that I want to move when I want to move, not when other people want me to move. So, I gave it my best shot, and I made it to the finals of the Canadian Nationals. I lost a real close decision, and just the way it all ended... There were some computer glitches with the scoring system, in a fight that I was winning but I ended up falling short. I really didn’t like the way things ended up, it left a bitter taste in my mouth, and so I said that I’m not going to stick around for another 4 years until somebody else tells me that it’s my time to shine, you know what I mean. So I just decided; I’m going to go pro.”

So it was you who took the initiative on your own?

“That’s right. Well....myself and my dad. We became pretty close with Russ Anber over the years, in the amateur years. He was our foot in the door as he put in a good word with Yvon Michel at GYM. Yvon just called my dad one day, and from there, you know, we just worked things out.”

Sticking to the Ams for one more question Tony, how long did you box before you turned pro and what would you say was your greatest accomplishment as an amateur boxer?

“I fought for about seven years as an amateur. I was a six time Ontario champ. I medalled at the Nationals every year and I got to represent Canada as a junior on the B Team a couple of times. A lot of Canada versus Ireland meets and stuff like that. As a junior then, they didn’t have the world championships like they do now and I didn’t get to go to a Commonwealth games or a Pan AMs because as I said, I wasn’t a senior yet. I did get to represent my country a few times in some duo-meets and that was pretty good. I’d have to say that was some of the highlights of my amateur career.”

Moving on the pros, how do you see the professional boxing scene in Canada and where do you fit in the Lightweight division here?

“I see my division as wide open right now. The title’s vacant and we’re all young up and coming guys, all coming up at the same time. Most of us or at least the top 3 or 5 are all undefeated right. So no one has really had a serious test yet. Everybody knows what our strengths are but nobody knows what our weaknesses are until one of us fights each other. So I think it’s wide open right now and I think it’ll take at least a year or two until everybody gets all their answers at lightweight.”

How long do you see it before you get a chance to fight for the Canadian lightweight title?

“I’d like to fight for it, hopefully by sometime in 2010. Possibly by summer or something like that. That’s my own personal goal.”

You’re under contract with Yvon Michel (GYM). How has that been going fighting out of Quebec being that you live in Ontario and how has Montreal treated you?

“Very well! Initially I was worried that it may be tough to win the press and the fans over there because of the fact that French is only my second language. But I think that they have taken to me very well. The fact that I have put in the effort to speak French and to become accustomed to their language, mingling, and being very open with everybody. The fact that I have been performing well, so yeah, I think that they have accepted me now and I think the fans are willing to give me a chance and I’m grateful.”

There are a few young prospects in the Canadian lightweight division Tony that as you mentioned. Soon you could be facing off against one another. Buzz Grant has the OBC (Ontario) lightweight title and he was set to face off against another Ontario prospect soon in undefeated Logan McGuinness, before that fight got nixed. Would you like to have faced the winner of that bout? Are there any other fighters in Canada that you’d like to fight?

“I’ll face anybody that my promoter puts in front of me. If it has to be Logan McGuinness for example, then it’s Logan McGuinness. I am familiar with him, we fought in the amateurs a couple of years ago and I won a decision over him. It was a good fight. I know what it’s like to be in there with him. He’s a tough guy who comes forward and throws a lot of punches. But yeah, if that is a fight that needs to be made in order for me to move forward with my career, then I’d want to fight Logan McGuiness for sure!”

You already own the Quebec Boxing Council (QBC) lightweight title while Buzz Grant currently holds the Ontario Boxing Council (OBC) lightweight title belt. Do you have any aspirations in fighting for the Ontario provincial title?

“I definitely would be interested. If that is an opportunity that is offered to me down the road, then absolutely, yeah I’d be interested in grabbing that belt, for sure!”

Who’s been the most instrumental part of your success in the sport of boxing and in your transition from the amateur game into a real professional fighter?

“I’d have to say the answer to both would be my father. My father along with the help from Russ Anber. I’ve always naturally been a counter puncher and a guy that relies on speed that likes to move. So in the amateurs in most cases, especially in tournaments and stuff when I was coming up, the point system was good for me because I can move fast, and I was in and out. My dad has helped me to make the transition to the pros along with Russ, helping me to settle down on my feet a little bit more, widening my stance somewhat, and learning how to fight off the ropes. Learning how to be more comfortable on the ropes where I’m not just looking to spin off, or just get off of there the minute my back touches the ropes. Stay there, fight a little bit, get low and put the foot out front; getting the guy to challenge you, bumps, infighting, this and that, my dad has been instrumental in all of that, and in guiding me along in all the aspects of fighting really, amateur and pro.”

What are some of the toughest fights you’ve been in so far, both as an amateur and as a pro?

“In the amateurs, I fought a lot of good fighters but you know what, I did fight this kid in New York one time, in Syracuse. His name was Darnell Jiles. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the “Sugar” Ray Robinson of today, not the original but the one fighting now. He just beat (Darnell) Jiles not too long ago on ESPN. When I fought him (Jiles) at the time, I was like maybe 118 pounds, and he was going as a lightweight. What happened was, he was talking trash in the dressing room and neither of us had fights that day, both of our opponents had bailed, so he was just looking to pick a fight. He started talking trash to me and I returned the favour. So the guy set up a fight with us two in it. I lost... I lost a real good fight and I gave him a good run for his money but I came up short. At that time, Jiles had way more experience than me, and he was a lot bigger, so it was a really good learning experience for me. I’d have to say that he was one of the more solid guys that I fought in my amateur career.

As far as the pro’s goes, so far I’d have to say the (Jorge) Banos fight. As far as maintaining a strong pace and keeping the pressure on me, out of the guys that I’ve fought so far, Banos has probably given me the most decent test I’d say.”

Who is your favourite fighter that you follow as a spectator or as a fan?

“I’d say, of all time anyway, I’d have to say Ali, Leonard, Roy Jones was more my era as far as being a fan of boxing goes. Also, I love Manny Pacquiao! The speed and the ferocity that he brings from the opening bell right to the finish is just wow! The fact he is no longer a one handed fighter, we’ve seen how he’s been willing to learn under Freddy Roach. He's not just relying on his one hand or his power but using his speed to set up specific combinations behind the jab, working the body now, giving different angles. So you can see the progression from being a one dimensional fighter and I admire that in a fighter because he acquired these skills so deep in his pro career. It’s hard to change a guy because usually at that stage in his career that Pacquiao was at, you’re so accustomed to being set in your own ways. It’s hard to change amateurs from breaking habits like that and the fact that he was able to do so at such a deep stage in his career, that to me is pretty amazing.”

(Round 2 with Tony Luis will be coming up shortly)

If you wish to contact the author of this article, email John Robbins at FightNews Canada