A plant can not "move energy" to any specific area, all energy is used throughout the entire plant equally.
You do realize this magical energy is produced in/by the leaves, right?
Less leaves = less energy produced = less growth/slower growth.
Your plant needs every leaf it has to produce the energy it needs to grow her biggest and best flowers. Otherwise she would not grow the leaves in the first place!
Some well considered "lollipopping" is useful if you don't want to deal with small shitty buds, but leaving as many leaves as possible will ensure the fastest and largest growth occurs.
Personally I am dead against any type of defoliation and only ever remove yellow leaves, for by the time they are yellow, they have served their purpose.
Hope this helps,.......
Organoman.