MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and undefeated American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. are both first-ballot Hall of Famers, even if they end up never fighting each other.

This, according to the new president of HBO Sports, Ken Hershman.

“My view is, Floyd Mayweather is a first-ballot Hall of Fame fighter whether he fights Manny Pacquiao or not,” Hershman said in an ESPN interview.

“And then Manny Pacquiao, similarly, with titles in eight weight classes, is also a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a global superstar,” he added.

“He doesn’t need to fight Floyd Mayweather to cement his legacy in the sport.”

Hershman said he would love for the mega-fight to happen, both as a boxing fan and as an executive of HBO. “It would be a tremendous fight and event,” he said.

“That being said, I understand each side’s position and view of the world, and they are not coming together just yet,” Hershman added.

Moving on

While the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is on hold, Hershman said the network will move on to other fights.

“My attitude is, until they say they’re really going to do it, let’s move on and program the best fights around it,” Hershman said. “They’re not fighting in May or June, so we are moving on an hope to be involved in the fights they each have then.”

Negotiations for the potential Pacquiao-Mayweather mega-bout picked up steam late last year, culminating in a phone call from Mayweather to Pacquiao last January.

But talks fell apart when Mayweather refused to accept a 50-50 split, and both boxers are now pursuing fights against Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto.

Mayweather is set to return on May 5, while Pacquiao is scheduled to fight again on June 9.

Hershman said he remains optimistic that the mega-fight will happen, but for now, they will focus on the boxers’ May and June bouts.

“We have to look to May and June and make sure the fights they are in then are the biggest events of that time,” he said.