Hollywood actor director Clint Eastwood has scored another pre-Oscar victory by winning the best director trophy from the Directors Guild of America (DGA) for his female boxing drama "Million Dollar Baby."

Eastwood, who won this year's Golden Globe best director award, defeated late Saturday his major rival, Martin Scorsese, the director of this year's Golden Globe best picture winner, "The Aviator."

Scorsese has never won a DGA award although he has been nominated six times by the DGA for films including "Taxi Driver" (1976) and "Raging Bull" (1980).

"This is a surprise. ... I got to say this is a real pleasure. I am as pleased as punch," Eastwood said after receiving the award Saturday night.

Eastwood and Scorsese are set to compete again for the Oscar awards, notably in the best film and best director categories.

Scorsese has never won an Oscar but Eastwood has won an Oscar already for 1992 Western "Unforgiven."

"The Aviator," which was named best picture by the Producer's Guild last week, is believed to be a top favorite among the voters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who will hand out the Oscar awards on Feb. 27.

The DGA's prize for best documentary went to Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni for their tale of nomadic life in Gobi desert, "The Story of the Weeping Camel."