A ring and a prayer! Sylvester Stallone shadow boxes with the Pope as the Rocky star takes his family to meet the pontiff at the Vatican

Sylvester Stallone is known for playing Italian-American Rocky Balboa in the Oscar-winning film from 1976, but today he was caught sparring with one opponent he had probably never expected to face. 

For his meeting with the Pope at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City, the Hollywood star was accompanied by his wife, Jennifer Flavin, and their three adult daughters Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet, as well as his brother Frank. 

Playing up to his public persona, Stallone was seen shadow…