Some basic footwork drills:
- Moving forward and backward: slide your lead foot forward a bit, immediately bring your rear foot forward so that your feet are the same distance apart as they were when you started. To go back, move the rear foot first, then the front foot. Then start working your hands; everytime you slide your front foot forward, jab. When you bring the rear foot up, throw that hand. When moving back, it is reversed: as the rear foot moves, jab. Throw the rear hand as the front foot comes back. You'll see how to do that as you practice.
To move faster, going forward push off the rear foot and to go backwards push off the front foot. The same punches work the same way.
- Circling left and rightI'm assuming here that you are an orthodox, non-southpaw boxer)To circle left, slide your left foot to the left just a couple inches, then pivot to your left, on the left foot. The pivot determines how far you 'circle.' When you move your left foot jab and when you've finished the pivot, throw a right hand. To circle right, slide your left foot to the right a couple inches, then pivot, on that foot, to your right. When your left foot moves, jab, but this time, throw the right hand as you pivot (gets your weight behind it better, and once the right foot lands you'll be in a perfect spot to throw a left hook.)
I don't mention "side-to-side" movement as it is pointless, takes you out of counterpunching range and moves you onto ropes and into corners. Always circle. Never cross your feet or bring them together; your feet should be the same distance apart all the time because the stance you start out in should be the one that leaves you perfectly balanced, able to move fast and punch hard. So why change it?