Atlantic City, NJ — July 11, 1985 — The boxing world got another hard look at the meteoric rise of Mike Tyson Thursday night at the Trump Casino Hotel, as the 19-year-old phenom improved to 5-0 with a punishing second-round stoppage of fellow unbeaten heavyweight John Alderson. Broadcast live on ESPN and officiated by veteran referee Frank Cappuccino, the bout added another explosive chapter to the early career of the man quickly becoming boxing’s most feared contender.

From the opening bell, Tyson—tipping the scales at a rock-solid 216 lbs—wasted no time asserting his will against the rangier, 226-pound Alderson. The taller man tried to keep the charging Tyson at bay with a flicking jab and the occasional straight right, but the aggression from “Kid Dynamite” was relentless. Tyson worked his way inside, his hooks cutting through Alderson’s guard and drawing blood from the nose before the first three minutes expired.

Round two saw Tyson shift gears with surgical precision. Responding to advice from his corner, he turned his focus to Alderson’s midsection, softening him up for the inevitable finish. A thudding right hand sent Alderson’s mouthpiece flying midway through the round, and moments later, a pinpoint right cross dropped the Kentucky native to the canvas. Though he beat the count, Alderson was clearly shaken.

Tyson wasn’t finished. With less than thirty seconds left in the round, a looping right hand to the temple floored Alderson again, this time just before the bell. Despite beating the count once more, Alderson returned to his corner visibly dazed. After a brief consultation with the ringside physician, referee Cappuccino called a halt to the contest, signalling the end of Alderson’s night and the continuation of Tyson’s knockout parade.

The crowd, already buzzing from the undercard that featured Mike Tinley and Ray Ray Gray, roared in appreciation of Tyson’s brute force and refined execution. At just 19, Tyson had yet to hear the final bell in a professional fight, with all five of his victories coming by stoppage.

The message was clear: Tyson wasn’t just another prospect—he was a storm rolling through the heavyweight ranks, and John Alderson was merely the latest name added to a growing list of those caught in the downpour.