TEAM HOPKINS PRESS RELEASE/STATEMENT:  An American Arbitration Association panel has issued a decision in connection with Bernard Hopkins and Don King's claims against each other arising out of their promotional relationship.  Bernard Hopkins sued King seeking in excess of $1.5 Million for King's failure to promote the full number of bouts which he was required to promote under the three year agreement.  King was obligated to promote six bouts and only promoted five.  King countersued seeking in excess of $20 Million from Hopkins claiming that he was damaged by Hopkins' refusal to participate in a rematch against Trinidad, thus leading to Trinidad's first retirement, and for Hopkins' premature termination of his promotional relationship with DKP. The AAA panel denied Hopkins' claim that "both parties to the Promotional Agreement" failed to negotiate reasonably with respect to the bout which King did not do for Hopkins.   The panel denied King's claims stating that with respect to the Trinidad rematch: "there was insufficient proof that any action by Mr. Hopkins caused such a failure under the circumstances."  The panel also denied King's claims for a continuation of the contractual obligations of Hopkins because the conditions on which such obligations were premised failed to come into existence.  King was to get an extension if he got Hopkins an HBO deal.  That deal only came about after Hopkins got away from King.  The Panel did decide that Hopkins has to return a $150,000 advance that King paid Hopkins during the course of their relationship. "Although I am disappointed that the panel did not agree that King failed to live up to his obligations under the agreement," said Hopkins, "I am happy that a neutral third party has vindicated me in determining that I did nothing to stop the Trinidad rematch from occurring and I did not end my relationship with DKP prematurely." -Submitted by Arnold C. Joseph, Attorney for Bernard Hopkins