Bell-ringer waiting for a reaction is looking after conditioning of boxers perhaps (6)
I believe the answer is:
pavlov
'bell-ringer' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pavlov that I've seen before include "Russian who famously observed conditioned responses in dogs" , "conditioner" , "Russian who studied the conditioned reflex using dogs" , "As reflex investigator" , "Ivan --, Russian studier of conditioned reflexes" .)