By Francisco Salazar

You do not need to pinch yourself any longer.

Yes, Floyd Mayweather fighting Manny Pacquiao is happening.

What seemed like a dream (or an afterthought to some), Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, the best fighters of this generation, will face one another on May 2 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Did the fight take too long to make? Probably

Could it have taken place years ago? It should have

Are people ecstatic now? Absolutely.

Will the fight live up to the hype? That remains to be seen.

The fact of the matter is Mayweather-Pacquiao is now a reality. It is no longer a punchline. No more boxing memes of Mayweather and Pacquiao not fighting each other.

Not only has the fight been something boxing fans have wanted, but it is something both fighters have wanted for some time now.

"The fight could've happened a while back," Mayweather told a group of reporters before the official press conference on Wednesday inside the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. "But the fight is happening at the right time."

That is open to debate, but Mayweather does bring up a good point. People could dwell on the past or enjoy the best fight of this generation between two of the best fighters right now.

It took a chance meeting between Mayweather and Pacquiao at a Miami Heat game in January to push the fight towards its finalization, especially at a time when certain details could have imploded the deal.

"Our meeting after the Miami Heat basketball game was, I feel, the reason why the fight is happening," quipped Mayweather.

"I was very adamant about making this fight happen. I would keep calling Al (Haymon) every few days."

It seems as though some would think Mayweather may have bitten more than he can chew. There are some that believe Pacquiao is more than a live dog in the fight, that the Filipino's southpaw and aggressive style is all wrong for Mayweather.

Mayweather scoffs at the notion.

"Winning is always on my mind. A fighter who has lost always has that in the back of his mind. Our game plan is to be smart, be first, and get the job done."

"I believe in my skills. I believe in myself and I will be victorious."

As does Pacquiao. The popular Filipino fighter even accepted being the B-side to the promotions, something he has always wanted and conceited during previous attempts to make the fight happen.

"We met in my hotel room (after the Heat game)," Pacquiao recalled on Wednesday. "Floyd said that he has to be the A-side when we fight. I said okay."

There are those who believe Pacquiao is not the same fighter since losing by brutal knockout at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez in December of 2012. Pacquiao has won his three bouts in a row.

Mayweather's words of a fighter having a loss in the back of his head may resonate with Pacquiao. But Pacquiao may put that aside considering he is very motivated at receiving the opportunity to fight Mayweather.

"I was not discouraged when I lost (to Marquez). It happens in boxing. I'm more experienced (now)."

So there you go. No fighting words. No insults. Two fighters NOW willing to fight one another.

Did the fight take too long to make? Probably

Could it have taken place years ago? It should have

Are people ecstatic now? Absolutely.

Will the fight live up to the hype? That remains to be seen.

It may be difficult for the hardcore boxing fan to enjoy the fight. The three-fight pay-per-view telecast ail cost around $100 and tickets to watch the scheduled seven-fight card will start at $1500. To most fight fans, $1500 is about what rent goes in Southern California for a one or two bedroom apartment (depending on the area).

But fans may pull their resources together and have fight parties or are willing to splurge and buy tickets (realistically off of secondary markets). Fight fans could still buy closed-circuit tickets in the Las Vegas area.

Regardless, the fight is now happening. Too late, too soon. We have a fight on May 2.

And you know what, that is a good thing. 

Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Salazar also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He could be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing