As if by coincidence, US President Barack Obama announced what appears to be a formal thawing of relations with Cuba on the day that we were due to speak to filmmaker Brin-Jonathan Butler about his new documentary Split Decision.

The film looks at the sporting relationship between both countries, threaded through the fabric of sport. 

"This is a momentous change that could affect all Cubans. It's really unprecedented since the embargo began," said Butler.

Symptomatic of the stark choice faced by Cubans vis a vis the US, was the choice to flee the country with the prospect of never seeing family members again - a decision that was avoided by late three-time Olympic gold medalist Teófilo Stevenson, who we discussed with Butler during the summer.

In contrast, two-time Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux defected to the USA in 2009 and was branded a "traitor" by the Cuban regime.

"The cost was he left a family behind, he lost a mother, a father, a wife and two kids so it was tremendously emblematic of Cuba's answer to Sophie's Choice that so many Cubans are confronted with," said Butler of a country which has seen one million people leave the Caribbean island since Fidel Castro came to power in the 1950s.

But he believes the recent thawing of US-Cuban relations could see some changes, which maybe down the line could allow Cuban fighters to go pro - which is more important for fighters thinking of leaving the island, rather than political and social conditions.

Listen to the full interview via the podcast.