Remember when Mike Lee was known more for starring in Subway commercials than his boxing ability in the ring?

Lee would be a very wealthy man if he received a dollar for every time someone would mention “Meatball Marinara” or “Subway Club” sandwiches rather than jabs and crosses.

It would not be a surprise if Lee has heard criticisms of his career but his performances in the ring, as of late, are making boxing fans take him more seriously.

Lee hopes to continue that trend tonight when he faces Justin Thomas in an eight-round light heavyweight bout at The Hangar on the grounds of the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California.

Lee (18-0, with 10 knockouts) is coming off his most impressive victory to date as a pro on Sept. 30, dropping Chris Traietti once en route to a 10-round unanimous decision.

The 29-year-old Lee, who earned a Bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame, signed with Top Rank Promotions before making his pro debut in May of 2010. He has since fought mostly on the East Coast and in his hometown of Chicago.

Lee would like to build off the Traietti victory. He now lives in the Los Angeles area, where he trains out the Wild Card West Gym in Santa Monica and is trained by Jamal Abdullah.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting in Los Angeles again,” said Lee in a release. “It’s been a long time since I’ve fought here. It really feels like home here and I’m very excited to have this opportunity.”

Lee is currently ranked No. 12 by the WBO at 175 pounds.

Thomas (18-1, 7 KOs) last fought on Sept. 16, when he defeated Austin Marcum by unanimous decision over eight rounds. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana resident has won his last six bouts.

Light flyweight Carlos Licona (8-0, 2 KOs), who resides in nearby Westminster, will square off against Cesar Sustaita (3-3, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout.

Two more fights will round out the Roy Englebrecht Events card.