Correct me if I am wrong, we have the main branch and it splits and splits until we have a system of smaller and smaller twigs. This “twigginess” is evocative of a mature tree, ramification. With this kind of ficus you cut all the leaves off and the branch develops plenty new twigs, if you only clip the tip it may just turn and break a new tip where the old was clipped. Thats the reason why you take the leaves off.