Gorgeous looking plant - truly!
I personally would not defoliate unless the humidity was super high ... I'd just tuck those massive leaves back inside the plant to expose the bud sites below and be done with it. You can re-evaluate later but always have a good, solid reason for snipping off leaves as the plant needs them for photosynthesis... if you need better air flow or the leaves won't stay where you tuck them and they keep blocking light from the lower bud sites, fine... but try to tuck them first!
Good luck...