Cuba's world champion cruiserweight Yoan Pablo Hernandez has defended his IBF belt with a unanimous points victory over Canada's Troy Ross in northern Bavaria.

The 27-year-old Hernandez, who was born in Cuba but now lives in Halle, eastern Germany, was awarded Saturday night's fight 114-113 115-112 116-112 by the three judges against his challenger Ross, who is 10 years his senior.

This was Hernandez's second defence of the world title he won last year against Steve Cunningham of the USA.

It was the third defeat of Ross's career, but the Guyana-born southpaw put Hernandez on the canvas in the fifth round, while the champion produced a ninth-round combination and Ross was only saved from a knock-out by the bell.

The victory leaves Hernandez, who boxes out of the Sauerland stable, with a record of 27 wins, 13 knock-outs and a single defeat against Guyana's Wayne Braithwaite in 2008.