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CAIRO \u2013 Facing bullying because of his faith and race, an Australian Muslim, who chose to be a boxer to defend himself against intimidation, has become one of his country\u2019s featherweight boxing champions, setting a role model for Muslim youth.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy dad made us play team sports, he saw it as a great way for us to fit in with all the other kids,\u201d Billy Dib, an Australian featherweight champion, told the Daily Telegraph on Sunday, November 30.<\/span><\/p>\n The 29-year-old Dib has turned to boxing at the age of 12 after being discriminated against by his colleagues at school because of his Middle Eastern roots.<\/span><\/p>\n The son of a Palestinian mother and Lebanese father used to shun schools in New South Wales over bullying he had faced during the early 1990s.<\/span><\/p>\n Being different with a severe asthma, Dib was made an easy target for bullies in Engadine.<\/span><\/p>\n After years of training, Dib became a world boxing champion, overcoming bad memories from his childhood.<\/span><\/p>\n However, Dib with dual featherweight world championships still feels he \u201cdon\u2019t fit in\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n The Muslim champion has advised people who are facing discrimination to speak out and not be ashamed.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you are being bullied, speak up. Don\u2019t let it happen. I didn\u2019t because I was afraid that if I dobbed I would get more beaten up,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n