Calzaghe's ex: 'Fame changed my Joe'

Joe Calzaghe's ex girlfriend has claimed that the retired Welsh boxer became a jealous bully whose cocaine dependency spiralled as his fame grew.

Model and actress Jo-Emma Larvin dated Calzaghe for more than five years and told The Mail On Sunday how she watched the gentle and kind man that she fell in love with slowly transform into a narcissistic control freak who was obsessed by fame and driven by ambition.

Larvin's claim comes a week after 'The Pride Of Wales' was forced to apologise after admitting that he "occassionally" uses the drug. However, the 31-year-old model alleged that he would use it up to three times a week - sometimes while he was home alone.

She said that Calzaghe also threatened to make her 'the most hated woman in Britain' if she ever spoke out about him after they split up; allegedly cheated on her during their relationship with a woman he had only just met; was possessive and controlling and stood in the way of her modelling and acting career; and suffered bouts of intense jealousy and had alcohol-fuelled arguments with her.

A spokesman for Calzaghe said: "Joe finds it sad that an ex-partner, whom he continues to look after generously, should jump on this particular bandwagon."