Wilder is an American boxer that once held the heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020 before his loss to Tyson Fury. 

Born in Alabama, the 35-year-old had no known ties to Nigeria before his recent claim. 

In an interview on a podcast, the heavyweight boxer said he had planned to visit Africa but couldn't because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He further revealed that he is planning a trip to four cities in Africa, including Nigeria, where he has traced his ancestry to the Edo tribe. 

"My tribe is the Edo Tribe, I want to go back and learn a little bit more about my culture. I want to really see my culture, go back to my ancestors and learn a lot of things," he said. 

"We have lots of things we are connected to and don't even know about. The Edo people are warriors, stone-cold warriors."

This is not the first time Wilder is claiming to be connected to Nigeria. 

Ahead of his first and second fights against Fury, Wilder referred to himself as 'part Nigerian' several times.