By TMZ Sports
CBS head honcho Les Moonves says he's "hoping" Floyd Mayweather signs the contract to fight Manny Pacquiao ... telling TMZ Sports it would make "a lot of money for everybody."
CBS owns Showtime, who have Mayweather under an exclusive contract -- and Moonves has reportedly been working hard with both Manny's camp and Floyd's camp to lock up a deal for the network. Experts predict the fight would CRUSH every financial record in the history of the sport.
Moonves has been discussing the particulars with executives at HBO and Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao.
Moonves also shot down a lingering industry rumor, that he threatened to fire the head of Showtime Sports, Stephen Espinoza, if the fight doesn't come to fruition.
"None, none whatsoever," Moonves stated in response to there being any truth in Espinoza getting an ultimatum to make the fight.
"We're hoping the fight happens, [no truth] whatsoever [to Espinoza rumors]."
