WESTMINSTER, Colo. -- Former junior welterweight titlist Mike Alvarado has had numerous run-ins with the police over the years and has been in and out of jail. Once again, he faces criminal charges, including a serious one of possessing a gun as a convicted felon.

Police allege that they found a handgun in his car during a Jan. 3 traffic stop around 4 a.m. in his hometown of Denver.

So despite the real prospect of going to jail yet again, Alvarado (34-3, 23 KOs) said his legal issues have not been a distraction as he prepares for his trilogy fight with rival Brandon Rios (32-2-1, 23 KOs), whom he meets in a 12-round welterweight bout Saturday night (HBO, 9:45 ET/PT) at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, a Denver suburb.

"I don't bring them with me into the ring, and it's not a distraction," Alvarado said. "I have learned to be positive through it and be strong, and it gives me more confidence to be a better person and a better fighter."

Distractions have always been part of Alvarado's life, and often when he is training for fights. So it came as little surprise when he said his latest legal issues will have no impact on the fight as his legal proceedings will take place after it's over.

"I am used to something always going wrong in camp," Alvarado said. "When it is going too good and perfect, I know something bad is going to happen because that's the way it has always been. I have been dealing with adversity my whole life. Adversity has been in my life the whole time, so there are not distractions for this fight."

Alvarado, a father to three daughters, even joked that he didn't miss any time in training camp due to his arrest because he just made up for the one day he spent in jail by training on his usual day off.