Boxer reveals shocking handicap beneath his shorts

A young gun boxer has revealed a debilitating illness in the moments after a great victory in the ring.

Michael Valentin, an 18-year-old boxer from Rhode Island, USA, took his record to 4-0 with a strong victory in his home town.

Despite being knocked to the ground by a powerful uppercut in the first round round, the man they call 'Bling Bling' came back to win the bout via points decision.

But what made the victory even more impressive was a stunning revelation in his post-match speech.

After taking hold of the microphone, Valentin shocked the crowd by announcing he'd been dealing with a serious health problem.

“All my life I dealt with adversity, and …” Valentin said, before hesitating on revealing the information.

"This fight, I always fought with a colostomy bag. Anybody that thinks I’m lying, look at me, I got a colostomy bag.”

The 18-year-old pulled down his boxing shorts slightly to reveal a colostomy bag, poking out of the right side of his abdomen.

“I’m a f***in fighter,” Valentin said to the cheers of the crowd.

“After this fight, I’ll be going to surgery, I’ll be out for about eight months, nine months to recover.

"I’ll be back and I’ll be strong and ready to fight. I’ll be ready to fight anybody, I’m a f***in warrior!”

Valentin later revealed on Facebook that he has suffered from a rare condition called Hirschsprung’s disease, a birth condition in which nerves are missing from parts of the intestine.

"When you think you’ve seen it all in boxing, I’ve dealt with adversity," he wrote.

"I was born with a uncommon intestinal disease named Hurchsbrung disease, I’ve never had the perfect life, but that’s what made me the man I am today."

Valentin's upcoming surgery will make his intestines fully functional, meaning he will no longer need his colostomy bag.

He plans to charge straight back into his boxing career as soon as he's recovered, in about nine months time.

Unsurprisingly, Valentin's social media channels were instantly filled with messages of support.

He even shared a message from a fan in Australia on his Facebook page.

Although the fallout wasn't all good news for the young gun, who later revealed the local athletic oversight commission suspended him for not disclosing his condition.

Valentin told reporters "I'm kind mad right now," explaining that he had a letter from his doctor clearing him to fight.