Photoshop :: Open PNG - Ignore Alpha

Is there a way to open PNGs without reading alpha information? or to remove the transparency from an already open document?

I've created a PNG with a 3D applicaion that depicts an opaque character in front of a transparent background. the image uses straight alpha.

however there is still image information in the transparent parts. here's the same image without alpha (i removed it quickly with the open source app IrfanView).

Once i open the original PNG in Photoshop CS3 it creates a single layer document with the transparency already applied to the layer. I have found no way to get at the color values in the transparent parts of the image.

as you can see i already have some sort of work-around for this problem. still, i would be interested if it's possible to do the same with photoshop, since it is my numer one image editing program.